when is enough enough?

[gloryfied]

I've been with a hospital for 8 months now, new grad nurse. The hospital is well equipped with nurses, there's no shortages or anything. But definitely, the management does favorites.

Here is the issue: I came of one night, and the unit clerk tells me, hey we are out of beds here so your med surg patients are in the ER so we are floating you there. You only have 4 patients. Im thinking, oh, this might not be so bad. I get to the ECC, and noone directs me to where anything is, where the pyxis is, I ask, and they draw me a map of what it only less than 30 seconds away. I get 3 additional admits to my already 4 patients, here 3 on telemetry, here i am, new nurse, being told of a breeze float, and getting thrown into a mess. Ihad no MAK to tell me what meds to give in the morning, they practically told me, you'll have to figure it out in the morning.

When the morning float shift came, it was a med surg nurse and a prog nurse for the cardiac patient. They were surprised I took all this duty by myself.

730 am was suppose to be my clock out time, but I left at 9 because of trying to figure everything out.

Basically, How do we know when something is unethical or unjust or whatever the word of choice is. I am a willing person, I want to be of help wherever it's needed for float, but I felt like a puppet, all the other nurses on the ECC were looking at me fail, and giggling and enjoying it or something. Like, do people really like to sit back and watch someone fall apart.

Ofcourse after my help was used, my management complains, omg that shouldn't have happened to you at all. That was awful, they shouldnt have done that, you should have had help, should've called us, should've.

Well, dont you think you should've sent a more experienced nurse as a float.

I just dont get it, and its unfortunate.

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

not sure what to tell you but to expect situations like this to happen. if you have doubts to their validity you can try calling your manager or the nursing supervisor. once you are off orientation where i work you are allowed to get pulled 8 months isnt a brand new grad

[ange09, ADN, RN]

You should NEVER accept an assignment to an area that you have not been oriented to. I am a float nurse and would not take on med-surg patients in the ED without orientation there first. In fact a very similar experience happened to my good friend. She had 7yrs med-surg experience and was also a float nurse. She was on her last year of her masters in nursing with a ANP, so she was no new grad by any means. She was told she had to float to the hospitals ED gateway, which is med-surg within the ED. She refused the assignment. She called the house supervisor and her manager and said she did not know the system down there and where anything was located. They sent her home. She felt it would have been unsafe for her and her patients. I also refused to take an assignment one time when I felt my license and patient safety was at risk. I also spoke with nursing administration and the house supervisor and voiced my concerns. You have to be an advocate for not only your patients, but for YOURSELF. Don't ever feel intimidated to voice your concerns and NEVER allow them to place you in a situation that has the potential for a negative outcome. 8 months of experience is still a VERY new grad. Just my little advice :) I wish you the best!