What Do Charge Nurses Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for charge nurses?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what charge nurses do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Charge Nurses Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about charge nurses by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Charge Nurses plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.
Popular Job Titles For Charge Nurses
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Nursing
- Assistant Directors of Nursing
- Medical Directors
- Clinical Supervisors
- Charge Nurses
- Laboratory Managers
- Directors of Rehabilitation
- Clinical Nurse Coordinators
- Clinical Directors
- Directors of Nursing/Registered Nurses
- Clinical Managers
- Executive Directors
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for charge nurses can be found.
Best Industries for Charge Nurses
Charge Nurses Jobs By Industry
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 23.3%
- Offices of Physicians: 12.7%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 7.5%
- Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): 5.4%
- Home Health Care Services: 4.8%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 4.3%
- Other: 42%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of charge nurses can be found working in the General Medical and Surgical Hospitals sector. In 2022, about 23.3% of all jobs for charge nurses were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Offices of Physicians (12.7%), Outpatient Care Centers (7.5%), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (5.4%), Home Health Care Services (4.8%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (4.3%).
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What Do Charge Nurses Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what charge nurses do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work charge nurses do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that charge nurses tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for charge nurses, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Charge Nurses
Based on 711,071 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Charge Nurses
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 193,666 | 27% |
| Auditing | 61,150 | 9% |
| Marketing | 61,027 | 9% |
| Project Management | 56,613 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 50,016 | 7% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Charge Nurses
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 308,011 | 43% |
| Communications | 296,984 | 42% |
| Leadership | 277,305 | 39% |
| Operations | 241,027 | 34% |
| Planning | 141,793 | 20% |
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.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 193,666 | 27% |
| Auditing | 61,150 | 9% |
| Marketing | 61,027 | 9% |
| Project Management | 56,613 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 50,016 | 7% |
| Billing | 49,897 | 7% |
| Care Coordination | 47,978 | 7% |
| Workflow Management | 45,237 | 6% |
| Social Work | 44,551 | 6% |
| Quality Improvement | 43,803 | 6% |
| Performance Improvement | 42,441 | 6% |
| Process Improvement | 41,063 | 6% |
| Case Management | 40,086 | 6% |
| Performance Appraisal | 40,015 | 6% |
| Nursing Care | 39,681 | 6% |
| Finance | 36,812 | 5% |
| Mental Health | 36,331 | 5% |
| Home Health Care | 35,853 | 5% |
| Clinical Experience | 35,498 | 5% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 35,170 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 308,011 | 43% |
| Communications | 296,984 | 42% |
| Leadership | 277,305 | 39% |
| Operations | 241,027 | 34% |
| Planning | 141,793 | 20% |
| Customer Service | 139,319 | 20% |
| Coordinating | 130,854 | 18% |
| Problem Solving | 106,817 | 15% |
| Writing | 90,088 | 13% |
| Scheduling | 85,817 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 75,280 | 11% |
| Research | 71,064 | 10% |
| Microsoft Excel | 69,760 | 10% |
| Detail Oriented | 66,561 | 9% |
| Supervision | 64,207 | 9% |
| Microsoft Office | 63,632 | 9% |
| Coaching | 63,529 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 58,274 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 56,703 | 8% |
| Decision Making | 56,341 | 8% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Charge Nurses
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Nursing | 76,940 | 19.9% |
| Assistant Directors of Nursing | 42,835 | 11.1% |
| Medical Directors | 24,348 | 6.3% |
| Clinical Supervisors | 21,641 | 5.6% |
| Charge Nurses | 20,746 | 5.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was directors of nursing, with 27,722 unique job postings. Assistant directors of nursing were second, with 9,661 postings, followed by medical directors, clinical supervisors and charge nurses.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to charge nurses.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Nursing | 76,940 | 19.9% |
| Assistant Directors of Nursing | 42,835 | 11.1% |
| Medical Directors | 24,348 | 6.3% |
| Clinical Supervisors | 21,641 | 5.6% |
| Charge Nurses | 20,746 | 5.4% |
| Laboratory Managers | 16,705 | 4.3% |
| Directors of Rehabilitation | 22,653 | 5.9% |
| Clinical Nurse Coordinators | 16,141 | 4.2% |
| Clinical Directors | 17,116 | 4.4% |
| Directors of Nursing/Registered Nurses | 14,610 | 3.8% |
| Clinical Managers | 13,188 | 3.4% |
| Executive Directors | 16,191 | 4.2% |
| Practice Managers | 14,466 | 3.7% |
| Program Directors | 13,982 | 3.6% |
| Nursing Home Administrators | 13,335 | 3.4% |
| Operations Managers | 8,033 | 2.1% |
| Directors of Clinical Services | 9,097 | 2.3% |
| Clinic Managers | 9,791 | 2.5% |
| Directors of Behavioral Health | 7,109 | 1.8% |
| Clinical Coordinators | 8,197 | 2.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for charge nurses? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for charge nurses.
How much do charge nurses make?
Charge Nurses: How do you become one?
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