Should i make a big deal? long pont urgent reply

Nurses New Nurse

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As Some of you know, i am a new grad lpn who was having a very difficult time getting use to my new job because of insufficient orientation and not even cooperation from advance staff members.

Anyways it has bee 2 months and i have been assign to one floor, and suprisingly i have grown to love it , and i developed a lot of confidence. My floor have a total of 20 pt, a small few of which are LTC, ( The only floor in the building that have any ltc patient) the others sub acute and rehab and another small few young cosmetic clients. and hospice, so i have it pretty mixed. unlike most floors. ANYWAYS , i learnt a lot and i have been told many times i am doing a great job, From DON for some reason my floor has been labeled th e slower floor, which is not really true.

NOW THIS IS THE PROBLEM: we have a new nurse that started about 1 month ago , she was on orientation for 2 weeks and after one day on her own she called th enext day to quit. It so happen on her first day alone i was th eother nurse on the floor and i tried to help her as much as i could, but periodically she got to anxious and went fo several long smoke breaks expecting me to do her work, while she was away, then the next day she left. Now my job is really starving for nurses because many quit because they can t handle the pressure, so they literallycalled and beg her to come back , which she did , and they give her extra orientation but i have the feeling they have plans to put he r on my floor and have me be a float nurse, which i do not want to do , and know i am not ready for, being i am new myself, the other floors are really very much more hectic. SHOULD I JUST GIVE UP MY SPOT AND FLOAT OR TRY TO STAY O N THE FLOOR. I am finally starting to love nursing and get use to things. My thing is i dont mind going to another floor and working there permanently but unfortunately they only have float positions left , everyone is already assigned a floor, including the new girl, bu ttomorrow i am off and they have her on my floor and i just know she will tell them she want to stay there, because she thinks she will get a little more time for smoke breaks,.

ADVISE ME PLEASE, DONT EVEN KNOW IF THIS POST IS MAKING SENSE, BUT ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY AND I AM SO WORRIED OF HAVING TO START OVER AND THE ANXIETY WILL HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN.:trout:

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

It kind of sounds like you have management problems. I don't know the situation but they shouldn't move you to another position without talking to you about it. If they do and you are in a position you hate, what prevents you from leaving. Nursing covers such a broad range of areas and help is needed everywhere. Also stand up for yourself, if they put you in a position that you hate, tell them why you hate it and why you will leave if change doesn't happen.

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Based on what I have observed over the yrs, I would advise you to make your preferences known. Stand up for yourself. At this point, you have already observed that things are difficult and you are anticipating less than optimal situation w/this lady's return. Tell your mgmt you do not want to float. If they insist, then look on it this way. Floating will give you a better sense of confidence and boost your worth as an employee to the facility. This will become a strong point in your favor when it comes time for your 90 day, annual job performance review. If you must work alongside this nurse b/c mgmt insists on having her there, then stand up for yourself with her. Do not do her work for her. I am not saying to fight with her or start bad feelings, but tend to your own patients first and foremost. Only when your own work is caught up should you help her, and make it clear to her that you are not going to do her job for her, but are willing to help her in a bind. And if you have to, point out to her, that when she learns the ropes, then it will be expected of her by yourself and all the other nurses on the team, that she will be just as avail to help others. Don't allow her to take advantage of you just b/c mgmt begged her to come back to have a warm body present, assuming you will pick up the slack.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

If they told me that they were making me a float, I would tell the DON, or whoever was giving me this news that I expected a stationary position on one unit.

How can you be expected to learn anything as a brand new graduate nurse if they keep floating you around? As a nurse manager in the acute hospital I NEVER let any new graduate nurse float and I NEVER advise any new graduates, LPN or RN, to take any positions as float nurses.

If they are not willing to assign me to one unit I would tell them that then I have no choice but to start looking for another job. I wouldn't outright quit, but I would give them the idea that I was going to start looking elsewhere. You may be surprised at the response you get. They may say, "go on and leave" or they may honor your request. Either way, you benefit. You can't learn in an environment where you are assignment is being changed around all the time like that.

Are you sure you've assessed the situation correctly? They can't be all that desparate for nurses if all they have are float positions.

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Specializes in Case Management.

I don't know but it sounds like her calling in and quitting has worked so well for her. After your day off, maybe you should call in and quit and they will call you back begging you to come back. Then you could tell them you will not be the float nurse you want to stay where you are. What makes her more valuable than you????

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Thank for the responses everyone. To answer someone's question about if th ejob was starving y only float positions. My job hire lots of nurses, but after a few weeks , or so people quit, so whoever is there has a permanent floor, and they haveothers that covers floor when the permanent person is away. I am off from work today and i go back tomorrow, and its upsetting my entire day. I do not want to just quit because i actually like working for the facility , ad even though upon starting and being stressed i taugh tof quitting i never did. I am relocating to Massachusets this summer and i really dont want to be job hopping , because it does not look good on a resume, especially me being a new nurse .

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

I would also remind them that you have seniority over this new hire. You should have first bids on the permanent position on the floor. When I first graduated, the hospital I worked in suggested to start off as a float nurse because you are exposed to alot of different learning experiences. I dont agree with it. I think its better (it was for me) to have familiar surroundings and a chance to learn where things are so you didnt spend so much time looking for things and have time to do the things you need to be doing. I STILL hate being floated to a different floor. Ive only been a nurse for almost 2 years.

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