Congress Abstracts 2004

28

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “IN CHARGE”? AN ORIENTATION PROCESS AND COMPETENCY SKILLS CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION INTO THE ONCOLOGY CHARGE NURSE ROLE. Patricia Matthews, RN, BSN, OCN^®, Salvacion Ramirez, RN, BSN, OCN^®, Rosanne Arlington, RN, MSN, ONC^®, CNS, and JoAnn Mick, RN, MSN, MBA, AOCN^®, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.

Care of oncology patients in an inpatient setting requires accountability and oversight by designated charge nurses. Many nurses new to oncology need to learn additional skills to provide care for patients with unique needs. Although the charge nurse is an established position in many hospitals, there is little information about the structure or definition of the role, how it should be initiated, or available methods to evaluate how adequately nurses are prepared, or how well they function while in charge.

Charge nurses assume active leadership roles in resolving incidents and events that can affect patient outcomes and have key responsibilities to assess patient acuity, order supplemental staffing, assure bed control functions, and manage the census.

Charge nurses ensure patient safety and efficient unit functioning and, therefore, it is essential for them to maintain a high degree of clinical proficiency. Charge nurses are responsible for promoting safe and effective patient care and maintaining high clinical standards. Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Model’s five domains represent outstanding leadership behaviors that were our conceptual model. These behaviors are Challenging the Process, Inspiring Shared Vision, Enabling Others to Act, Modeling the Way, and Encouraging the Heart.

With reference to these domains, the essential functions were defined and an orientation plan and competency checklist were created to support nurses with successful transitions and the ability to function in the charge nurse role on our unit. Experienced oncology charge nurses serve as resources to nurses new to oncology nursing. Charge nurses ensure daily unit management, continuity of care, quality patient standards, and ongoing professional development for the oncology nurses in our unit.

Ten clinical nurses have completed the charge nurse orientation and competency checklists. We established a monthly charge nurse council to continue to evaluate issues specific to the charge nurse role and to ensure that the orientation includes all elements that can support nurses for success in this role.

Our poster will share our process and the tools we have developed to ensure successful transition for serving in a charge nurse role in an oncology setting.