floating

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I have been working on a medical/tele unit for 6 months & found out today that sometimes were are floated to the icu. i was not informed of this in my interview & I have no icu experience. I do have 5 years of med-surg & rehab experience. I find this ridiculous & unsafe. Also, I am curious if anyone else works on a tele unit & is expected to float to the icu.

Thanks,

rehab girl:down::down::down::down:

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Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis.

This is a little late, but I don't think you should worry too much. When I worked ICU, we frequently had tele nurses float in to help. They would be assigned the pts closest to those they would have in their own unit. They would never get a vent or other device, multiple drips, or an unstable patient. If you feel terribly uncomfortable with your assignment, ask how much back up you can expect, or refuse the assignment based on your discomfort.

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Specializes in tele, oncology.

I get pulled to step down from time to time and have never been given a patient assignment that made me uncomfortable. The last thing the charge there wants is to have to watch over me take care of patients that are beyond my level of training when he has his own nurses who can care for them. That's been my experience at least.

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My tele unit has regular tele beds and 6 PCU beds. The PCU trained nurses will occasionally have to float to the ICU but if you are not PCU trained they will not float you.

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