Charge RN

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Charge RN oversees the daily shift operations of the Virtual Sitting Observation (VSO) program, ensuring high-quality patient monitoring, patient safety interventions, communication with hospital nursing staff, regulatory compliance, and efficient workflow management. The Charge RN provides clinical leadership and supervision to remote patient safety observers (PSO), serves as the escalation point for patient safety concerns, collaborates with bedside clinical teams, and promotes a culture of patient-centered care.

Clinical Oversight

·       Provide clinical leadership and supervision for virtual remote PSOs and Lead PSOs.

·       Monitor patient safety activities and ensure adherence to intervention and escalation policies and procedures.

·       Assess and prioritize patients requiring virtual observation.

·       Respond promptly to escalated patient safety concerns and communicate directly with hospital clinical staff when necessary.

·       Evaluate the effectiveness of virtual observation services.

Operational Leadership

·       Coordinate daily staffing assignments and workload distribution based on patient acuity.

·       Ensure adequate coverage and continuity of monitoring services.

·       Manage shift operations and staffing adjustments based on patient acuity and staff needs.

·       Troubleshoot workflow and operational issues.

·       Keep the Nurse Manager informed of any staffing or safety related issues.

·       Participate in PSO and Lead PSO interviews.

Communication and Collaboration

·       Serve as a liaison between observers and hospital clinical teams.

·       Facilitate timely communication of patient safety concerns.

·       Participate in huddles and leadership meetings.

·       Provide feedback to the Nurse Manager on PSO and Lead performance.

·       Escalate serious safety issues to nursing leadership (Nurse Manager and CNO) immediately.

Quality and Compliance

·       Ensure regulatory compliance.

·       Review observation routine and intervention documentation; provides feedback to PSO and Lead PSO.

·       Complete incident reports by end of shift after review.

·       Monitor quality indicators and improvement initiatives.

·       Assist in the development or review of virtual sitting policies and procedures.

Staff Leadership and Development

·       Provide coaching and education.

·       Conduct anecdotal performance evaluations and competency assessments; provide performance feedback to the Nurse Manager for evaluations.

·       Oversee and support onboarding and professional development.

Technology Oversight

·       Ensure effective use of virtual observation technology.

·       Collaborate with IT to resolve technical issues.

Required Qualifications

·       Current RN license in good standing.

·       BSN preferred.

·       3–5 years of acute care nursing, virtual nursing or sitting experience.

·       Leadership or charge nurse experience preferred.

·       Current BLS certification.

·       Specialty certification preferred.

Reports To

Virtual Sitting Observation Nurse Manager.

Supervises

 

PSO and Lead PSO.