Charge Nurse Career Overview

*many but not all hospitals require or strongly prefer a BSN

What does a charge nurse do? A charge nurse is the nurse who is responsible for nursing operations during a specific shift or, less often, for a specific nursing department. The charge nurse role is very much like a nurse manager’s, except that a charge nurse is responsible for a particular shift rather than the nursing function as a whole, or is responsible for a smaller team of nurses under a nurse manager. Especially in medium and larger hospitals, a nurse manager may focus entirely on administration while a charge nurse is still likely to provide direct patient care. Working as a charge nurse is an excellent way to take on increased responsibility, earn more (a charge nurse salary reflects their experience and responsibility), and potentially enter nurse administration.

A charge nurse is responsible for nursing operations during a specific shift or for a specific team of nurses within the broader nursing team. They act as the senior nurse during that shift, assign responsibilities, and oversee the effective operations of that shift or team. They also act as a liaison to other teams during that shift and escalate situations to other teams or clinicians as necessary. The charge nurse role is often a first step in becoming a nurse leader.

Charge nurses work primarily in hospitals, government facilities, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. According to the BLS, 61% of nurses work in hospitals, 6% in nursing care facilities, and 5% in government settings.

The charge nurse role offers the opportunity to exercise more responsibility, enter a leadership track, and improve patient care. However, this work can be tedious and frustrating if you have low tolerance for paperwork and administrative tasks. It also means greater exposure to lawsuits and opportunity to be blamed for problems, even if they are out of your control.

The average annual salary for a charge nurse is $69,650, according to Zip Recruiter. The lowest quartile makes $55,500 or less and the highest quartile makes $76,000 or more. This wide range reflects differences in geography and responsibilities. RNs are in high demand everywhere, with a 9% growth rate in jobs projected by the BLS between 2020 and 2030.

The combination of high cost of living and high demand means that salaries are highest in California (cities in California make up 7 of the top 10 highest-paying cities for charge nurses), Virginia (1 out of 10), and Alaska (2 out of 10).The city with the highest average annual charge nurse salary is $84,270, in Santa Clara, California. The highest salary outside California is $78,580, in Alexandria, Virginia. In Alaska, the highest salary is in Tanaina, at $78,120.

A charge nurse supervises a specific team of nurses, typically all of the nurses working a particular shift in a particular department. Unlike a nurse manager, a charge nurse usually also provides direct patient care as well as holding administrative responsibilities.

A charge nurse is a registered nurse (sometimes an APRN) who supervises other registered nurses. However, the charge nurse role is determined by the employer rather than an independently administered credential, so a charge nurse isn’t higher than a registered nurse in the same way that an advanced practice nurse is higher than a registered nurse.

A charge nurse is a supervisor, specifically, of a team of nurses in a particular department or shift. However, unlike nurse managers, most charge nurses do not act solely as supervisors or managers. In many hospitals, working as a charge nurse is a common first step toward a full-time supervisory or nurse management role.

A charge nurse is responsible for the effective performance of a particular nursing shift or team. The charge nurse role includes scheduling and assigning responsibilities, acting as a liaison to other teams and departments as necessary, and ensuring the smooth transition from one shift to another. They typically also provide direct patient care.