A head nurse essentially performs management tasks by acting as a supervisor. A head nurse, who is in charge of a nursing unit’s resources, patient care, and personnel, is positioned above staff nurses. It goes without saying that the position has a higher salary and more demanding duties. Implementing nursing practice standards and care directives is another duty of head nurses. This article will examine the education requirements, work history, and particular characteristics needed to become a head nurse.
A head nurse or nursing manager must be able to coordinate and provide high-quality nursing care while controlling the environment. This includes coordinating with other nurses involved in patient care. To be eligible for this position, a nurse’s work experience should include the capacity to carry out management responsibilities.
A carefully honed skill is the capacity to grasp a situation and analyze it quickly. Even though some people are born with this skill, it can still be developed. This ability in a head nurse can stop emergencies from happening in a patient care scenario. A head nurse with strong analytical abilities will be able to manage patient families, doctors, and their demands, as well as to defuse situations before they spiral out of control.
Candidates for a head nurse position in nursing must be skilled in negotiation and conflict resolution. To efficiently oversee the nursing unit’s care environment, a head nurse or nurse manager is needed. As a result, the head nurse must resolve any disputes that may arise regarding patient care schedules or even interpersonal disputes that may arise among the staff. The head nurse handles all disputes, non-cooperation, unethical behavior, and non-compliances first. The head nurse conducts the initial assessment, initial discussions, necessary supervision, and necessary monitoring and disciplining of non-compliant employees. Instances are only escalated to HR and hospital management if the head nurse is unable to resolve them.
In addition to managing the facility, head nurses are responsible for the patient’s overall care. As a result, the head nurse is responsible for managing staff schedules, changing routines, monitoring nurses, reporting to doctors, and supervising patient treatments and progress. The head nurse must be extremely adept at multitasking in order to complete all of these tasks.
In essence, a nurse manager is a manager, and managers are generally unpopular in any facility. This makes any head nurse’s job challenging. Excellent interpersonal skills must be partially innate, partially developed, and carefully nurtured throughout nursing education. It’s an effort to maintain the nursing staff’s composure, focus, and ability to function as a cohesive team. Excellent interpersonal abilities and a cool-headed attitude can help head nurses better manage their staff.
A head nurse cannot manage each individual patient. Therefore, it is crucial that the head nurse organize the duties and activities of the nursing unit, control the schedule of staff rotations, guarantee timely delivery of essential medications, and decide on efficient resource allocation. Each of these tasks calls for strong organizational abilities, much like those of a corporate manager.
When it comes to advocacy, head nurses should be regarded as highly credible, cool-headed, and creative individuals. Meeting the clinical, professional, and personal needs of nurses is the responsibility of the head nurse. The task of assisting nurses in resolving their problems and managing management advocacy on their behalf calls for objectivity and sincerity.
Some people naturally possess leadership qualities, while others must work on them. A head nurse must have a high sense of self-worth, a sense of responsibility, and confidence in their abilities to lead the team. The head nurse has no chance of getting anyone to pay attention without this. The first step to achieving a certain level of believable authority, which lends assurance and confidence, is realizing that the post comes with serious responsibilities. The nurse manager should exhibit the ability to foster healthy relationships with staff, management, and other specialty departments in order to create a patient-centered environment because if the head nurse doesn’t trust themselves, the staff nurses won’t either. Last but not least, having a positive, open attitude is always beneficial.
What does a head nurse do?
Numerous tasks are carried out by head nurses throughout the hospital where they work. As nurses, they accomplish typical day-to-day nursing responsibilities for patients. As managers, their responsibilities involve supervision, administration and communication.
Some of a head nurses daily responsibilities are:
What is a head nurse?
Head nurses are medical professionals who perform managerial and nursing tasks. Staff nurses who exhibit expertise and experience are frequently promoted to this more managerially focused position. In their healthcare facility, head nurses supervise the nursing staff and act as the main conduit for correspondence between the nurses and the doctors, management, and other specialists.
When a healthcare facility has a large enough staff that someone needs to supervise and manage them, head nurses can work there. These facilities include hospitals, nursing homes and other treatment centers.
Education requirements for a head nurse
The majority of employers demand a Bachelor of Science (B.S. S. ) degree as a minimum. Common areas of study can include:
Similar to other nurses, head nurses must complete an RN or LPN program before they can start working as nurses. Head nurses typically hold an RN license.
A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is something some head nurses have. If this is a common hiring requirement at the places where you’d like to work, you might want to look into the job descriptions for this role at medical facilities in your desired geographic area before deciding to pursue this credential.
Important skills for a head nurse
Head nurses must possess a combination of abilities related to office administration, interpersonal skills, and managerial proficiency in order to successfully complete their daily tasks.
The skills most helpful for head nurses include:
Salary and job outlook for a head nurse
The majority of facilities typically require head nurses to have at least five years of nursing experience in order to be considered for the position. Furthermore, many employers favor head nurses with 1-3 years of experience in a supervisory role. This may entail providing staff members with oversight or training assistance, such as nursing assistants or less-experienced LPNs.
Sample job description for head nurse
Studying the job descriptions associated with open positions when looking for a head nurse position can help you determine whether your qualifications align with the employer’s expectations and whether the facility and position in question are a good fit for you.
An illustration of what you might find in a head nurse job description is as follows:
Job title: Head Nurse
Department: Nursing
Job objective:
The head nurse is in charge of overseeing the general safety and comfort of hospital patients by making sure the nursing staff provides competent care, adheres to safety procedures, and has all the necessary supplies on hand.
Job duties and responsibilities:
Requirements
License:
RN
Experience:
5 years minimum. Hospital experience preferred.
Education:
Bachelors degree at minimum. Nursing, pre-med, biology or related.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A HEAD NURSE
FAQ
What does head nurse mean?
The term “head nurse” has a medical definition that specifically refers to a charge nurse who is in charge of overseeing the administrative and clinical aspects of nursing care.
What is the highest level of nurse?
The highest level of nursing education is the doctoral level. Some advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), as well as leadership positions like chief nursing officer or director of nursing, call for doctoral degrees in nursing.
What is the difference between head nurse and charge nurse?
A head nurse is typically a registered nurse with a MSN or higher who oversees all of the nurses at a particular hospital, healthcare facility, treatment center, or medical institute.
