Charge Nurses: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of charge nurses about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.

That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for charge nurses to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of charge nurses expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.

Keep reading to learn more about career steps for charge nurses.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Charge Nurses?

Do charge nurses need a degree? What kind of experience do charge nurses typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for charge nurses to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Charge Nurses

A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of charge nurses. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 37% of positions. In 27% of job listings no education level was listed and in 19% of postings a master's degree was required.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Charge Nurses

While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for charge nurses. In 43% of job postings for Charge Nurses, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 27% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 15% of job postings for charge nurses.

What Kind of Degree Do Charge Nurses Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for charge nurses, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?

According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 40 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective charge nurses, and in 2021 a total of 451,940 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.

Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective charge nurses.

Top Degree Programs for Charge Nurses

Top Online College For Working Adults

Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.

Degree Options for Charge Nurses

What Skills Do Charge Nurses Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by charge nurses to secure a job?

A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for charge nurses, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Charge Nurses
Based on 711,071 job postings

Based on 711,071 job postings related to charge nurses, nursing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 27% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for auditing, marketing, project management, medical records and billing were also highly sought.

As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for charge nurses, followed by communications, leadership, operations, planning and customer service.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about charge nurses? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for charge nurses.

What do charge nurses do?
How much do charge nurses make?

All Occupations

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.

View Other Occupations