N479 Leadership Management Shadowing Activity Form

Your Name: Katelyn Tamaray Date of Activity: September 16, 2015 Faculty name: Mary
OConnell
Who did you shadow (add their credentials too)
I shadowed the charge nurse Kathi. Her Credentials are RN-BC.
Role of this leader and where do they practice? (Be specific)
The role of the charge nurse was to oversee the medical-surgical floor. During the beginning of
the shift, the charge nurse took report on all of the patients on the floor. She was responsible for
knowing each patient as well as knowing the nurses and PCTs that were caring for them. That
night, we received two new admissions. She assigned the patient to the nurse that had the least
amount of patients. Upon admission, the charge nurse did all the admission tasks and
assessments in order to help the nurse that was going to take care of her. Because all of the
nurses were at ratio, the charge nurse took the second admission. This patient was her only
patient; however, if a nurse needed her help (for example, putting in a new IV) the charge nurse
would help.
In addition to patient care, the charge nurse also conducted a huddle. During this huddle, she
talked about new protocols/policies that were being implemented, activities that were going on,
and flu shots.
By the end of my eight-hour shift, the charge nurse spoke to all of the nurses and received report
on their patients. Although there is an acuity form that each nurse fills out about each patient,
receiving report also helps her understand how each patient is doing. When making the day shift
schedule, she told me that she looks into various information: the nurses that are scheduled to

work (and if they were there the previous day), any new or float nurses, and the patients acuity
level.
Discuss the benefit and value of this experience to you (Be specific).
As a BSN student, we are able to become charge nurses. My sister, a U of A College of Nursing
graduate, has only been a nurse for about five years and is already the charge nurse for her unit.
Although I do not want to be a charge nurse now, I think it is something I would consider later on
when I am confident in being a good bedside nurse. What I liked most about being a charge
nurse is that you still get to do patient care along with managing the flood. However, being a
charge nurse comes with many responsibilities. During any type of emergency on the floor, the
charge nurse makes the calls. She also must make sure all the patients are receiving the best care.
Would you recommend this specific shadowing experience in the future; why or why not?
(Describe why or why not)
Yes I would recommend this experience, especially to BSN students, because it is a position that
we are able to do. It really opened my eyes to see what a good leader looks like. The charge
nurse I shadowed told me that she has very high expectations for her staff; however, anyway that
she can help, she will do it.
Business card obtained/attached? No Signature on validation of clinical hours form
obtained? Yes