can you be floated while your on orientation?

roser13, ASN, RN · Nov 30, 2014

Is it legal for your employer to give you an appropriate nursing assignment? Of course.

is it fair to you and your progress in your orientation? Not really. Have you expressed your reservations about being pulled to the NM?

Editorial Team / Admin · Nov 30, 2014

Is it legal for your employer to give you an appropriate nursing assignment? Of course.
is it fair to you and your progress in your orientation? Not really. Have you expressed your reservations about being pulled to the NM?

Not only this, but are they going to extend your orientation time period to make up for all those missed days where your were pulled?

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Nov 30, 2014

My most recent orientation left a lot to be desired. Nobody seems to be able to see past my years of experience. During my orientation, a student nurse was placed with me so that I could show her what a nurse does on my second week of orientation; I was floated to ICU for a shift orientation with an ICU nurse but, instead, was paired with an agency nurse who had been floated to the area; then I was paired with an LPN (who couldn't understand that I was still charting because as an RN, I had three times more charting to do than the LPN had) because, I was told, the RN was intimidated by my years in nursing so much so that she felt there was nothing she could show or tell me (WOW!), to finish up my orientation. (Side note: that RN had no choice but to face her intimidation because the LPN had blood to be given and I didn't know how to perform the verification/documentation in the computer system. So, I asked for her specifically).

In a summoned meeting with my manager to evaluate my orientation and preceptors, my exact words were "it sucked" and I proceded to explain why. Fortunately for me, patient care abilities were not an issue. I mainly just needed to learn the computer system, which did not address what I needed to know as a nurse documenting in the ICU (still didn't get that because the agency nurse I was put with was not an ICU nurse, either), but I did express that they failed to meet the goals of their orientation 'care plan' and that had I been a brand new nurse, the question of retention would have needed to be addressed, given the orientation I received.

Mind you, all of the above was during the 'true' orientation period. I'm not talking about the full 90-day probationary period that encompasses the 'true, initial' orientation. I'm referring to the period immediately after the 5-day classroom orientation after being hired!

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Nov 30, 2014

Why do people keep running to "is this legal?!"

Yes, of course it's legal. But no, it isn't fair to you in completing your agreed-upon orientation. As the others have said, talk to the NM, see what can be done to make future changes.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Nov 30, 2014

They can pretty much do whatever they want. Is it fair, no. Should that time be made up absolutely. It amazes me what places do to people on orientation. Our orienters are with their preceptor for 10 weeks, no students, no floating, no canceling.

blackvans1234 · Nov 30, 2014

Our orienters are with their preceptor for 10 weeks, no students, no floating, no canceling.

No holidays while im on orientation

I wouldn't mind though, but it's "not cost effective" (obviously)

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Nov 30, 2014

Ours work what their preceptor works...we don't get much in the way of holiday pay lol

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Nov 30, 2014

Yup. They can do just about anything they would like to.

It will be interesting to see if then you are put back on the peds floor, and float to NICU when they would like you to.

Unless you have a union contract that speaks to floating. Then I would see what that has to say. But be mindful, as rocking the boat whilst in orientation for anything can cost you a job....

ixchel · Dec 1, 2014

I have to admit, the "is this legal" made me giggle a little. Yes, I'm sure it's legal to be floated to a floor you are fully trained to work on.

My orientation was a little bit BS with the floating and education stuff.

14 weeks, which should have been 2 weeks classroom, 12 weeks on the floor, or a total of 36 floor shifts, half on days and half on nights. What it actually was:

2 weeks classroom

6 shifts floated to other places

1 shift as a 1:1

About 4 shifts of educational experiences

1 shift as a sick day

3 shifts of administrative leave (I messed up something, and I deserved the leave)

So in the end, the 36 shifts that should have been straight up floor shifts, beginning to end with a preceptor and patients, ended up actually being probably 21. Seven weeks. I am a new grad on a critical care unit and I had 7 weeks of hands-on, precepted patient care experience before I was given my own patient group. They've been short on staff and they needed the warm body to fill the holes on the schedule. Our ratio has been one patient higher than its supposed to be, too. Talk about trial by fire.

I promise I'm not sharing this to get into a peeing contest, but more to say I think hospitals put orientee comfort and competency at the bottom of the priority list when it comes to staffing units. Maybe they have faith in us, maybe they believe more in us than we believe in ourselves. Heck, maybe we really are that good and they know we'll be just fine with less coaching. Or perhaps they know the rest of the unit's staff does great working as a team and they know you'll be okay because ores will take care of you. Who knows. What I do know is it's scary to be the orientee experiencing it, and I'm sorry they're destroying your ability to have continuity and consistency at a time when you should be given it most.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2014

Why do people keep running to "is this legal?!"
Yes, of course it's legal. But no, it isn't fair to you in completing your agreed-upon orientation. As the others have said, talk to the NM, see what can be done to make future changes.

I agree. Why do people think there are laws about whether or not a fully trained pediatric nurse can be pulled to work on a pediatric floor? Laws re: employment in the US are MINIMAL. Basically, your employer must pay you for hours worked and time and half for any hours worked in excess of 40 if you are an hourly employer and you cannot be discriminated against for reasons such as race and sex and other specific reasons prohibited by law. That's pretty much it. The government cares not where your private employer assigns you to work.

labnars · Dec 1, 2014

thanks for your reply roser13. yes it is unfair on my part. they did not only float me in peds floor while on orientation, they also assign me in the nicu where the stable babies are to feed and do vs. unlike the other orientee who has no experience in nicu shes always with sick babies shadowing a preceptor. our headnurs said i have been floated in nicu befre while im still working in the ped floor. i told the nurse manager its unfair.. because i feel like yhere is still so much to leatn in nicu in details woth a preceptor. she said as long as im learning... how can i lear without a proper preceptor.