Defining the role of the charge nurse is not easy in
today’s healthcare delivery systems due to the inconsistencies
in definition and scope across facilities. The title of
charge nurse has been around since the early 1980’s. One
definition for a charge nurse that has been given is “nurses
assigned to a particular unit designated by the head nurse
to coordinate nursing activities on a particular shift”
(Connelly, Nabarrete, & Smith, 2003, p. 204)