Floating for 1st LPN position?

RN34TX · Mar 16, 2006

And it's not too late to quit either.

2 days on 2 different floors as a new grad LPN?

Are you considered to be on your own now, or are you floating as an orientee to other floors?

If you are now on your own after two days of orientation, get out fast, because that says a lot about the facility and their concern about safety and making sure that you are ready to be on your own.

If you are still in orientation, see if you can voice your concerns to your preceptor(s) and/or manager because new grads need to stay on one floor and learn one routine to start with. It gets too confusing and overwhealming otherwise.

After you've learned one floor and can fly pretty much on your own with minimal supervision, then you can try another floor.

aegirl · Mar 16, 2006

I'm not on my own yet. I have 9 days of orientation....7 left. I've been on 2 different units and will probably be on a different one this evening. I'm trying to get a hold of the DON so I can talk to her.

Fiona59 · Mar 16, 2006

My first job was as a casual "float". I had five shifts on my hiring unit and then was expected to float to other LTC units in the facility. For sub-acute I got three orientation shifts and palliative, I got two.

So, I totalled 10 orientation shifts to work in three different areas.

It's the norm in my area.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Mar 16, 2006

I accepted a position in LTC. I'm going to be doing day/evening rotation. Which is fine. However, it seems that i'm going to be floating. I have my license, but this is my first LPN position. I was never told upfront that I would be floating. I went into a meeting the other day and this lady said, "so you will be floating". I was like, I don't know. I've been on 2 different units/floors after 2 days of orientation. I go in later today and will probably be somewhere I haven't been yet. I'm not happy about this at all. I have enough to deal with trying to learn all the paperwork and the residents and the med pass, etc and I'm expected to float at my very first nursing job right off the back. I would have never taken this position if I would have known that. I don't know what to do.

To be honest, I don't see this job working out too well. I took the same kind of first job when I was an LPN. It was a huge mistake. I knew I wasn't safe to float after a few shifts since I was a new grad. I quit, and never looked back. You can find something with a better orientation. You need to work in one area for a long time before being safe to float. JMHO

Drysolong · Mar 17, 2006

I accepted a position in LTC. I'm going to be doing day/evening rotation. Which is fine. However, it seems that i'm going to be floating. I have my license, but this is my first LPN position. I was never told upfront that I would be floating. I went into a meeting the other day and this lady said, "so you will be floating". I was like, I don't know. I've been on 2 different units/floors after 2 days of orientation. I go in later today and will probably be somewhere I haven't been yet. I'm not happy about this at all. I have enough to deal with trying to learn all the paperwork and the residents and the med pass, etc and I'm expected to float at my very first nursing job right off the back. I would have never taken this position if I would have known that. I don't know what to do.

I haven't graduated yet (hopefully next week), but I put out some "feelers" by applying for a few LPN jobs. One hospital is considering my application pending NCLEX for an LPN job in MED-SURG. However, the same hospital advised me that I didn't have the qualifications for their "floater" LPN positions. I agree with them. I've been through enough stress just getting through the LPN program. I want my first job to be a position that I can grow from, not be beat down "some more".