RN Charge- 1F Med/Surg, Full Time, Nights

Huntsville Hospital Health System•Decatur, AL

18h

About The Position

Demonstrates through behavior Decatur Morgan Hospital’s mission, vision and values. The Charge Nurse is a registered nurse who provides leadership, coordination, and clinical support for nursing staff during assigned shifts. This role ensures safe, high-quality, and efficient patient care through effective staffing, communication, and collaboration with the interdisciplinary team. The Charge Nurse serves as a clinical resource, promotes adherence to hospital policies and standards, and facilitates smooth unit operations while maintaining a patient-centered focus.

Requirements

Uses common sense and special medical skills to care for the sick
Understands technical information from supervisors, charts, reference books, manuals and labels
Uses eyes, ears, hands and fingers with skill
Acts quickly in an emergency, rendering appropriate life-saving measures
Communicates with people
Change from one duty to another frequently
Follow and/or give precise instructions
Records and interprets information accurately
Able to care for patients of all ages
Demonstrates leadership skill / ability
Current in BLS and ACLS
Apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Deals with several abstract and concrete variables.
Practical application of fractions, percentages, ratio and proportion in addition to basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division abilities.
Reading: Read scientific and technical journals, abstracts, and financial reports. Records data via paper and electronic means.
Speaking: Communicates verbally using effective voice tone, diction and medical terminology.
Gathers, complies and classifies information about patients and other people. Analyzes and interprets data to carry out plan of care for the patient.
Speaking, hearing, talking with people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving directions to staff, patients, families and/or visitors.
Manual dexterity: Use of body members or special devices to work, and perform functions pertinent to accomplishment of job assignment.
Graduate of an accredited school of nursing. Possesses a nursing license in good standing in the State of Alabama.
A minimum of two years clinical experience in the specialty setting i.e. Med/Surg, Critical Care etc.

Nice To Haves

BSN preferred.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Supervision
Oversees day-to-day unit operations, ensuring adequate staffing and workload distribution.
Assigns and delegates patient care responsibilities based on staff competency, acuity, and patient needs.
Provides on-shift clinical guidance, coaching, and problem-solving for nurses and support staff.
Serves as the primary liaison between nursing staff, physicians, and other departments during the shift.
Promotes a culture of safety, accountability, and collaboration within the unit.
Supports conflict resolution and addresses staff or patient concerns in real time.
Clinical Oversight
Monitors patient status and assists in managing complex or high-acuity situations.
Ensures compliance with evidence-based practice standards, hospital policies, and regulatory requirements.
Participates in patient rounds and ensures timely completion of assessments, interventions, and documentation.
Coordinates rapid response and emergency situations, ensuring appropriate escalation and communication.
Staffing and Throughput Management
Collaborates with the Clinical Supervisor on staffing adjustments, admissions, discharges, and transfers.
Participates in or leads the 4 p.m. staffing huddle to plan for upcoming shift and census needs.
Supports patient flow by proactively managing bed availability and discharge readiness.
Communicates changes in census, acuity, or staffing to leadership promptly.
Education and Mentorship
Acts as a preceptor and mentor for new nurses and nursing students.
Reinforces staff education related to safety, infection control, and clinical best practices.
Promotes professional development and continuous learning among team members.
Quality, Safety, and Performance Improvement
Monitors compliance with safety checklists, medication administration standards, and documentation accuracy.
Participates in quality initiatives, audits, and apparent cause / root cause analyses.
Encourages reporting and resolution of safety events and near misses.
Contributes to improvement of patient satisfaction and experience scores through consistent leadership and communication.