can my DON force me to work the floor?

[glm777]

I need some advice. I have been an MDS coordinator for the past 21 years. Due to some restructuring in management, it looks like I might be put on the "on call" rotation. For my building, the on call person usually has to go in and work at least one shift per weekend on call.

Now, I have not worked the floor in 21 years. I am not up to date on the current meds, equipment, etc. As it is, I do my MDSes with a drug book nearby since nearly every med is now in generic form. I haven't done trach care, IV meds, tube feesdings, etc in 21 years. I am truly afraid that I might hurt someone...or worse! I'm also not familiar with much of the paperwork that needs to be completed such as incident reports, SBAR, Interact to name a few.

I am so against this I can't even tell you. I have at least another 40 years to work and I truly feel that I would be risking my livelihood and my residents' lives by trying to give meds, tube feedings, treatments, etc after not working the floor for so long.

When this first came up we were told that "we are all NURSES" so we can all work the floor. I disagree. Yes I am a nurse and my license is the same as every other nurse, but I certainly wouldn't want my mother to get dialysis from a nurse who's area of expertise was not dialysis! But hey, we're both nurses, right, so why not????!!

I'm really just wondering what my legal obligation is to my company. Can they legally force me to do something that I am so uncomfortable with and that I truly feel puts my residents at risk? Can they fire me for not agreeing? I thought the nursing standards of practice made it MY responsibilty to NOT do something that I do not feel qualified to do. I would rather lose my job than make a mistake that hurts or kills someone.

I'd be interested in hearing what others think or about any experiences like this. Thanks so much!

[nnancy627]

There is nothing wrong with the MDS person being in the on-call rotation. It is no different than any of the other management nurses needing to take another day off from their schedule for having to fill a weekend shift. I also am having a hard time seeing any nurse having let their skills go down the drain. Each year all nurses should be going through annual skills lab and education to stay ontop and current, even the MDs nurses.

I'm baffled how an MDS Coordinator can not be familiar with current meds, much less not be familair with the common forms used for incidents, etc?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm baffled how an MDS Coordinator can not be familiar with current meds, much less not be familair with the common forms used for incidents, etc?

The MDS coordinator typically has a desk job in an air-conditioned office and does not regularly complete incident reports, pass medications, work the floor, or fill out the forms that are so routine to most LTC floor nurses.

[jelite37RN]

I cannot imagine how you'd have time to fill out SBARs...

Just like everybody else said, ask for orientation, or...

Sad to hear about your situation, OP! Looking at the bright side, with your amount of experience in MDS, no facilities will have issues with hiring you!

[LTCNS, LPN]

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to chime in and comment. I was an MDS Nurse for 14 years and many times I asked to be pulled to the floor in the event of an absence in order to keep up my bedside skills in case I ended up on call or there was an urgent need. Sure enough, I worked in a LTC home where I was required to be on call every 6-8 weeks and my times being pulled to the floor saved my butt. IMHO, all MDS nurses should be on call. You just never know when you will be needed, and it promotes more f a teamwork environment and mentality among floor staff.

[NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN]

I haven't read all the comments, but I just wanted to say that when our hospital needs additional help from nurses who may have not done patient care in years (nurses in infection prevention, education, administration, case management etc.), we have to prove that we provided them with orientation to patient care areas and current hospital/unit processes. If there is no time for that (due to immediate need), we use the non-bedside nurses as 'nurse extenders'. Those extenders are used to help the nurses with vitals, answering phone calls, feeding patients etc. Similar to unit clerk/nurse aide combo. Any help is appreciated.

[ybanurse]

On your days off ,you should be given orientation and get familiar with the paperwork and the med cart which is going to take some days to learn itself. One time during the holidays there was a call out and it took the DON and the Asst. DON on one cart to pass out the pills it took the whole eight hours on the morning shift! LMAO