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What does a Nurse Coordinator do?
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
A nurse coordinator typically has the job of supervising and coordinating care for his assigned unit or patients. Frequently referred to as a charge nurse, a nurse coordinator ensures that patient care is up to applicable standards and works to make sure the patients in his care, other staff members, and visitors are safe in the health care environment. A nurse coordinator may assist with developing care plans for patients and make sure they are carried out according to the facility's standards. Often, a person with this title helps to hire and train new staff members for his unit and provides evaluations of their work as well.
In many cases, a nurse coordinator has the job of communicating with doctors, patients, and loved ones of patients regarding plans for patient care. A person with this title may help establish care plans for the patients in his unit or department and revise them as necessary. He may also monitor the health care environment to ensure patient care plans are carried out as expected. If he notes problems with care, he may inform other nursing staff members or the doctor in charge of the patient’s treatment.
Often, a nursing coordinator also has the job of assisting other health care staff members with carrying out patient care plans. He may even help them assess patients. Since documentation is typically an important part of nursing care, a nursing coordinator often works to make sure treatments and procedures are documented properly. He may ensure patient responses to treatment are documented as well.
A nurse coordinator often instructs staff members in order to help them provide adequate patient care. He may, for example, instruct them in a variety of procedures and inform them of possible complications that may arise. Often, a nurse coordinator prepares staff evaluations as well. He may also work to ensure that an adequate number of staff members are available for a particular shift. In some cases, a person with this title may even help in the hiring and training of new staff members.
In order to become a nurse coordinator, a person must typically become a registered nurse. An individual may be qualified for this job after completing an associate’s degree in nursing and earning a nursing license, but many employers prefer applicants with bachelor’s degrees. Additionally many employers prefer coordinators with significant nursing experience as well as certification in the specialty in which they will work.
Nicole Madison
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a PracticalAdultInsights writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.
Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a PracticalAdultInsights writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.
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![A nurse coordinator may help establish care plans for patients in his or her unit.]()
By: Photographee.euA nurse coordinator may help establish care plans for patients in his or her unit. -
![A nurse coordinator may help to hire and train new staff members for his or her unit.]()
By: George WadaA nurse coordinator may help to hire and train new staff members for his or her unit. -
![A nursing coordinator is responsible for making sure treatments and procedures are documented properly.]()
By: Monkey BusinessA nursing coordinator is responsible for making sure treatments and procedures are documented properly. -
![Nurse coordinators may routinely evaluate staff members.]()
By: mario beauregardNurse coordinators may routinely evaluate staff members. -
![Nurse coordinators may be tasked with updating patients' families.]()
By: Tyler OlsonNurse coordinators may be tasked with updating patients' families.
Discussion Comments
@Oasis11 - I agree with what you are saying. I remember when I was having my daughter which was my first born, I was so scared and the nurse that was appointed to my room stayed with me the whole time.
She did not take care of any other patients. I couldn’t believe it because usually the nurses have several patients to attend to. I am sure that she spoke with the clinical nurse coordinator and was approved to stay with me.
This lady did everything for me and at times it seemed like she worked harder than the doctor. She had to make take my vital signs and keep track of how my labor was progressing. She was also my coach when it came time for my delivery.
I took a picture with her when I left the hospital because I could not believe the level of care that I received and never wanted to forget her. It is people like this that I hope stay in a nursing job forever, and never get into administrative positions because they are truly gifted when it comes to dealing with patients and we really need more nurses like this.
I agree that the nursing field is hot and one of the few careers that are recession proof, but not all people that go into nursing want to do all of these administrative functions. Many just want to work with the patient which is the basis of any nurse job. I think that it is great that advancement opportunities exist but I think that contact with the patient and their family is more limited which is the more impactful aspect of the nursing position.
When you bond with a patient and their family it really makes you feel very connected, but I don’t think that the clinical nurse coordinator position has the same effect.
I think that the field of nursing offers excellent job prospects because there is a huge nursing shortage out there. Nurse employment is desperately needed in many hospitals that many staffing industries have developed that specialize in nurse recruitment.
Many of these staffing companies offer RN jobs that are contract positions and often pay about $40 per hour or more. Some of these nurses might work a several different hospitals on a part time bases and make an excellent income.
I know that a local hospital in my town will actually pick up the tuition for a nursing student that does their internship with them and agrees to work for them when they graduate.
How great is that? You have your tuition paid for by a company and a guaranteed job upon graduation. Many of these arrangements also allow the student that has successfully finished their undergraduate degree to pursue a master’s degree and purse a clinical nurse coordinator position. I makes me wish I would have studied nursing instead.
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