I've been a nurse since January of this year. I've worked on med/surg and mostly orthopedics. I've been floated to tele and surgery before. I've charged a few times when I've showed up and there was one or two LVN's and I was the only RN. By default, I was basically charge nurse. I did not complain. I took on the challenge even though the LVN's have more experience than me. One night I was responsible for 11 fresh post-ops as as I was charge and working with an LVN.
I came to work two nights ago and my manager asked me go up to the neuro unit and charge. I've been floated there twice since I stared working at this hospital. My manager told me that the nurses on the floor are new grads. The most experienced nurse on the unit has 6 months of experience. The least experienced nurse had just gotten off orientation. They also have PCU patients on the unit.
I objected by saying that I haven't really been charging. My manger said I've charged on my unit before. I responded by telling her that it was by default. I had no other choice. When I kept telling her no, she then told me ask another nurse.
My question is, are you shocked? I am beyond shocked because I don't know anything about neuro patients. How can I be responsible for new grads when I'm still fairly new? Why would someone put that on me? Also, PCU patients are still fairly sick. I don't know anything about vented and trached pt's. What if something went wrong? I would be responsible! Also, my manager was a ICU nurse for 17 years. How can this happen? Is this unsafe practice common?
Specializes in Geri-psych, corrections, wound care, MDS.
The poster who said that they will pin it on you if something goes wrong is right.
Then, imagine yourself sitting in front of your BON. Problem with nursing is that you cannot say "your boss ordered you to do it" and have that be a valid reason for you to have done it. That Board will look at you as if you are nuts. I'd try to get out of there if you can. If you lose your license, you will not find a job as a nurse anywhere. But, maybe that is a better thing in the long run if as some of these posters say, this kind of thing is not unusual. Not that you might lose your license, but that you could get out of nursing...
If you can, try to do correspondence via email, and print a hard copy to keep. Be sure you lay out the happenings clearly so you cannot be misconstrued. When I feel that maybe I should have record of something going on and it's a conversation or two into the mess, I will begin my email tracks by saying something like, "Just to clarify, you were wanting me to do such and such... you know that I am a new grad RN... that I would be supervising new grad RNs... etc. and why you feel this is an unsafe assignment.
I might, if it seems like I'm getting nowhere, also, cc some of upper management...
At that point I wouldn't care if I lost my job for questioning my assignment. If another employer asks why you left, I'd tell them the facts. That is not slander (you have record). You feel that as a new grad RN, that you don't have the experience to govern a unit full of other new grads.
Excellent call. Also, although I need to refresh myself on the nurse practice act there, I do know that Texas is a Safe Harbor state, which helps protect nurses from being coerced into unsafe situations. Everyone, please correct/clarify anything that I'm mistaken on, but from what I remember, you have to immediately inform your supervisor that you are invoking Safe Harbor, and not accept the assignment. There is more to it, but I don't know the specifics; definitely brush up on the NPA, though. It helps you know where you stand in situations like this. Good luck! :)
You did the right thing. You have your 1 yr med/surg experience, I would be getting my resume ready if I were you. I would not put my nursing license on the line for ANY facility's staffing issues. Yeah, we still "eat" our young, sad but true.
Specializes in Wound and Ostomy care, Neuro, Med-Surg.
Fortunately where I work they do consider your experience level. I was not oriented to charge until I had about 2 years experience. If I was floated to another unit, I never charged. But unfortunately it sounds as if this is becoming more of the norm to throw new, inexperienced nurses into charge with unreal assignments. I agree with the previous posters. Always always protect your license. If you feel uncomfortable doing something, speak up!
AltaEnfermera
45 Posts
Excellent call. Also, although I need to refresh myself on the nurse practice act there, I do know that Texas is a Safe Harbor state, which helps protect nurses from being coerced into unsafe situations. Everyone, please correct/clarify anything that I'm mistaken on, but from what I remember, you have to immediately inform your supervisor that you are invoking Safe Harbor, and not accept the assignment. There is more to it, but I don't know the specifics; definitely brush up on the NPA, though. It helps you know where you stand in situations like this. Good luck! :)