Charge nurses are key to the smooth operation of any hospital or facility. If you want to advance your career and become a charge nurse, what do you need to know? How do you position your experience and apply to jobs with this title? Along with the hard skills you’ll need, specifically nursing experience in a clinical setting, there are soft skills in demand for employers. Before you change your resume or apply for open jobs, here are some ideas on skills to get you started to become a charge nurse.
Leadership
A charge nurse wears a lot of hats, so their ability to lead the team is imperative. They must delegate tasks to others and effectively manage the process, not individual parts. Leadership skills can be learned and developed.
Take time to focus on leadership skills through education, experience, and talking to others in similar positions.
Communication
Another soft skill imperative for a charge nurse is the ability to communicate. You’ll be required to communicate with people at all different levels, from patients to executives and from nurses to doctors.
Communications skills aren’t just face-to-face conversations. Make sure you pay attention to your written communication in emails and texts as well.
Continued Learning
Continuing education is also a part of leadership positions like charge nurse. Not only should you be willing to maintain your own continued education, but you need to be a facilitator for continuing education for your nursing staff.
A strong team is one that embraces education, change, and knowledge. As the charge nurse, you can provide the motivation for these endeavors.
Patience
Lastly, a charge nurse needs patience. There are a ton of moving parts with this role, including issues with patients, emergencies, and more complicated issues that arise without notice. You need to maintain composure and help your team do the same.
Patience is part of this process. It provides you the ability to step back and see the whole picture to resolve issues as they happen.
Work With a Top Healthcare Staffing Agency in Washington DC
Are you looking for a charge nurse position? Contact NRI Staffing today and our team of recruiters will help you find the best healthcare jobs in Washington D.C.
