Charge Nurse: CCU

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The Charge Nurse is responsible for clinical supervision of patient care for all patients in the department and job performance supervision of all employees on an assigned shift in a Critical Care unit. Plans, coordinates and provides for optimum patient care on the unit. This includes managing schedules and patient assignments, delivering annual evaluations and counseling conversations, and providing direct patient care when relieving nurses. Maintains the Standards of Nursing Care and provides care in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act. Assures utilization of the nursing process based on research and evidence based outcomes. The Charge Nurse makes recommendations on hiring, department budgets, and trainings and serves as a leader in the department.

Education and Experience

Charge Nurses at Magnet designated facilities only require a BSN. MSN preferred. Fulfills mandatory stroke education requirements per certification agency.

Additional requirements for specific departments are as follows:

• CCU: Critical Care and Open Heart, intra-aortic balloon pump and chronic renal replacement experience preferred.
• Irvine ICU: Critical Care experience and chronic renal replacement therapy experience preferred.
• Neuro ICU: Critical Care experience, previous ventriculostomy and/or lumbar drain experience and previous chronic renal replacement therapy experience preferred.
• Sub ICU: Previous Sub-Intensive, Intermediate, Progressive or Critical Care experience, previous experience with tracheostomy and ventilated patients preferred.

License Required:

RN-Register Nurse – current license in the state of California in good standing.

License Preferred: Certifications Required

• ACLS – current AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• BLS – current AHA Basic Life Support
• Additional department specific certification requirements are as follows:
  • Irvine ICU: NIH Stroke Scale – required upon hire.
  • Neuro ICU: NIH Stroke Scale – required upon hire.

Certifications Preferred

• Neuro ICU: CCRN &/or CNRN preferred
• Sub ICU: PCCN and/or CCRN preferred