Exploring the charge nurse role: holding the frontline.

This study describes the experience of being a charge nurse in acute-care practice. The charge nurse role has become instrumental in achieving safe and effective outcomes. The role remains poorly defined with little focus on charge nurse development. This qualitative study used a descriptive exploratory method. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 charge nurses from 4 acute-care facilities. Eight themes emerged to describe the experience of being a charge nurse in acute-care practice. Findings can be used by nursing executives to emphasize the importance of this role to the organization and support leadership development at the charge nurse level.