Floating related to age

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in OR Hearts 10.

The other thread got me to thinking....

We are looking at floating related to age. Currently if you are 55 or over with 10 consecutive years you are exempt from floating. [this also exempts you from call]

Many older nurses transfer to our rehab unit because "most" of the pts are more stable, they spend half the day with PT etc. So most of the rehab nurse do not float. But, we have a couple 60+ nurses that do not fit this criteria.

Is it fair to make the 2 or 3 other nurses float all the time, or do we exempt the whole unit from floating? We are going back to see how many nurses {hospital wide} we have over 60 to see if exempting all of them from floating is feasible.

It's very tricky trying to show appreciation to our older nurses without causing hard feelings from thsoe that will continue to float.

Any thought????

So is it related more to age or more to years of employment? Seems odd to not make them float just because of age

Specializes in Acute Care, CM, School Nursing.

Yeah, sounds like a weird way to decide who floats... I don't think it's fair at all.

Specializes in Emergency, Corrections, Adv Practice.

What if the nurse doesn't want her to age to be known!? Then she has to float because she won't announce that she's 65?

Specializes in OR Hearts 10.

It started as more of a perk, 10 years AND over 55....but there have been at least 2 formal requests for exeption from floating due to EXTREME anxiety to float out of thier comfort zone in the rehab unit. The rehab unit is where our nurses tend to go before they are ready to retire.

We are trying to decide if just exempting everyone over 60/65 [or whatever age we decide] from floating period. We are trying to show our appreciation to our older nures [for that family feel].

We are trying to show our appreciation to our older nures [for that family feel].

A policy that makes for special treatment for younger nurses would be criticized, so I think this one should be as well. I dont think age should have anything to do with your ability to perform the job. Years of seniority could be used to make the rule, but I dont think age should be a factor.

Specializes in ICU, M/S,Nurse Supervisor, CNS.

Doesn't sound very fair and I'd imagine those who are continually getting floated due to not being of age or years experience will be disgruntled at some point. Plus, there are a lot of questions with this float process, like what about the nurses who are of age and have more than 10 years nursing experience, but just not consecutively? Or those who've been nursing for more than 10 years, but are not over 55? Do these two types not deserve some "perks"?

On a side note (sort of), a friend of mine once managed a rehab unit where staff was being pulled often. She put in place a new rule that certified nurses (they had to be certified in rehab nursing) would be excused from floating. By doing this, she effectively motivated her staff to become certified, and increased the number of certified nurses she had on the unit. This was also great for the hospital as they were pursuing magnet status at the time.

I think using age as a guideline for being floated is ridiculous. Everyone should be required to float, or make your unit a closed one.

Specializes in OB/GYN, Emergency.

I think the policy is unfair and sounds like ageism. I understand that it was meant to be a benefit to the elder nurses, but work benefits should not be determined by age, race, religion, gender, etc.

Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

At almost 62, I'm all for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I have hating floating since I was 32 also! As the per diem in our unit, I get floated first:( But they can only float me twice in 6 weeks and then others have to go.

Specializes in OR Hearts 10.
Doesn't sound very fair and I'd imagine those who are continually getting floated due to not being of age or years experience will be disgruntled at some point. Plus, there are a lot of questions with this float process, like what about the nurses who are of age and have more than 10 years nursing experience, but just not consecutively? Or those who've been nursing for more than 10 years, but are not over 55? Do these two types not deserve some "perks"?

On a side note (sort of), a friend of mine once managed a rehab unit where staff was being pulled often. She put in place a new rule that certified nurses (they had to be certified in rehab nursing) would be excused from floating. By doing this, she effectively motivated her staff to become certified, and increased the number of certified nurses she had on the unit. This was also great for the hospital as they were pursuing magnet status at the time.

You know, it's all about this self-governence business. I am on the staffing committee and the previous group did the 10 year 55 rule and now we are having to deal with it. I like the idea about staff being certified, but what about those certified in ortho, can't float them to med-surg, etc...for something that started out as a thoughtful gesture is going to turn into a PITA. No good deed goes unpunished......

Specializes in ER, ICU.

Sounds totally unfair to me. I'm not sure what their age has to do with anything.

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