Floating at Alta Bates

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I just wanted to put it out there that there is A LOT of floating at Sutter's Alta Bates campus in Berkeley. If you are an ICU RN or even Step-Down/Tele, you WILL be floated to Med/Surg 90% of the time you work. I'm not saying anything good or bad. It will be in your contract that you will float but they are NOT really honest about just how much. If it doesn't bother you, then no worries but just be informed that it's almost every shift. They have also started pulling after the first 4 hours as well. To those of you who work Kaiser, this will not be unfamiliar. Not sure if the float is as much at the Summit location. It wasn't for me 2 years ago. I worked in ICU and only got floated 2 or 3 nights out of two 8 week contracts. I am at Berkeley, and I've worked the floor (NOT tele) more than I've been in the unit. Just a heads up.

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Old news! Alta Bates is notorious for floating, and it is commonplace around the East Bay. But I'm curious, was it the hospital or your agency who wasn't being honest about the amount of floating?

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I think a facility should present a rough average percentage to potential travelers on how much they float their staff out of the dept they interview to work in. Some facilities aren't bad and maybe only float you 10-15% of the time, that is acceptable. Once you start spending nearly half or more than half your time in a dept you have no experience in and did not interview to work for, that is a problem. If a facility was open and honest on their constant pulling of their travelers I believe a lot of people would stop staffing their facility.

I don't mind being flexible and helping out another floor similar to the ICU on occasion but hiring an ICU travel nurse with the intention of leaving your med surg understaffed and using the ICU RN to work it, deceitful.

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Maybe some folks are or were unaware as to how much floating...I was merely saying FYI...To some nurses this may not be "old news"....I am currently in a contract there so I won't be discussing who, in my opinion, was dishonest about the amount of floating...I am thrilled to be in Berkeley for the summer, I'm only doing 36 hours a week (they did me right on my schedule) and it's a very lucrative contract. I don't really mind the floating as much as some of the others...I just thought it was worth mentioning if people were considering it...several people I started with have left because of the amount of float and the dishonesty felt by both their companies and the hospital.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

This is not a new issue with travelers and occurs in a number of places.

This was an issue in PA, back when Canadian nurses were common travelers to PA. A few hospitals (in mostly ForProfit facilities, had decent ratios in IMU/ICU units but notably poor ratios in MedSurg, Ortho, etc. they would deliberately overhire travelers (Canadians, travelers on 6 month contracts, etc) and then float them to the perpetually short units.

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

It is good to know to inform fellow travelers. Thank you. I know it's not uncommon, but there are hospitals who don't pull this ********! Why I stopped taking any kind of "ICU float" position.

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It is good to know to inform fellow travelers. Thank you. I know it's not uncommon, but there are hospitals who don't pull this ********! Why I stopped taking any kind of "ICU float" position.

My last contract I just completed was an "ICU Float" position and I've learned my lesson. Never again.

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Can you tell me more about what kind of patients there are in the Alta bates ICU? Trauma? Medical? Etc

I'm new to the ICU SETTING and want to start getting ready.

what are some of the most common illnesses in the ICU at Alta Bates?

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If you are new to ICU, this is not a recommended first assignment. Big hospital, you will get patients you are not prepared for. Did you read the posts about floating here? Bail!

Is this Fastaff? Not the right agency for a new traveler. Forget about money for a first assignment and do an easy one. You don't want to fail on a first assignment.

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Thank for the prompt reply,

I understand, I'm not a traveler, just want to know more about the ICU itself and what type of patients you see most. What types of illnesses, etc

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Not a traveler? That is puzzling. If you are interviewing for staff, you can get that question answered in some detail. You might also try the California forum to find staff there.

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Specializes in ICU, and IR.

Can it be written in your contract that you will not float more than x% of your contract?

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