Dissertation
Standardizing the charge nurse role for success
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Drexel University
16 Mar 2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00011368
Abstract
Charge nurses play a critical role in coordinating patient care, supporting staff, and maintaining safety and operational flow within inpatient units. Despite their importance, expectations for the role remain highly variable, leading to role ambiguity, inconsistent performance, and inadequate preparation for frontline leadership. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project aimed to develop and disseminate a standardized charge nurse role description aligned with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Nurse Leader Competencies to promote role clarity and enhance perceived role effectiveness among charge nurses in a 663-bed academic medical center. Guided by Benner's Novice-to-Expert framework and the Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology, a diverse nursing workgroup reviewed unit-based checklists, needs assessment data, and relevant literature to draft a standardized role description. Two iterative agreement surveys assessed charge nurse perceptions of clarity, alignment with practice, confidence, safety, and effectiveness, with directional improvements across all items, Top 2 agreement rising from 77.7% to 87.4%, and strongly agree responses increasing by 10 percentage points. Qualitative comments informed refinements related to qualifications, accountability, and escalation expectations. The final role description received executive approval and will be disseminated through the Nursing Professional Development intranet, charge nurse orientation modules, and unit-based leadership forums. Standardizing the charge nurse role establishes a foundation for consistent expectations, improved preparation, and future development of competency-based training and evaluation tools. Keywords: charge nurse role standardization, role clarity, leadership competencies, novice-to-expert framework, effectiveness
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Details
- Title
- Standardizing the charge nurse role for success
- Creators
- Mary Rogers - Drexel University, Doctoral Nursing
- Contributors
- Patti Rager Zuzelo (DNP Chair) - Drexel University, Nurse Practitioner Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University
- Number of pages
- 44 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Doctoral Nursing; Nursing (Graduate); College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991022182272404721