Forced to Return to the Floor

[harumi22]

I've been working in a hospital and have been a nurse for a few years now. I worked in a Medsurg floor for about a year before I left and did something else. I eventually ended up as a nurse analyst and have been enjoying it so far for the most part.

Very recently there's been a surge in Covid cases in my area, and my hospital is planning to deploy all nurses who are not currently on the floor to the floor to help out until we flatten the curve again. I left the floor because I didn't like it, it gave me anxiety and depression (I was even having suicidal ideation at one point), and I honestly believe nursing is just not for me. I ended up as an analyst because I enjoy working with computers and software, not with patients and doctors.

Right now I'm very anxious to be forced to return. I've been out of practice for almost 3 years. I fear working on the floor for only 1 year wasn't enough to develop the level of knowledge and critical thinking skills that I would like to be in, so I'm not very confident with either of those right now. It also doesn't help that I suffer from low confidence and self-esteem. It was suggested for me to reorient, but I just can't shake this anxiety/nervousness away, and I feel my depression returning. People I've talked to keep telling me I'll be fine, but I have a hard time believing it. It's way worse now than when I first started working there, and I'm really dreading going back. Anyone have any advice?

[Peachpit]

Nurses can lose their license for many reasons, including working in patient care they are not experienced for/properly oriented to. A nurse refusing to provide care in an area she/he isn't experience it wise, ethical and morally sound. Often times management, especially when confronted with short staffing, will employ many resources to shore up the holes including using scare tactics. Anyone can report a nurse to "the boards" for anything - that does not mean the complaint is viable, founded or "the board" will do anything with it. While I understand Covid has taxed the healthcare system, that doesn't mean nurses should be forced into situations that they are not experienced in. What about doctors? Nursing assistants? Techs? Are they being asked to step into roles they are not licensed for or without recent experience. What's "funny" is nurses who want to work in the hospital but haven't been at the bedside in years can't get jobs but nurses who are working for a hospital but haven't been at the bedside in years are being forced to it.

You do NOT need to feel guilty for not wanting to be a nurse in the traditional sense. Not all of us are cut out to be bedside nurses or even remain in nursing after getting out of school or staying in the same position for years on end. Many nurses see the professional in the real world after graduation and realize it was a mistake. It's OK it's not for you.

To help out nurses who are at bedside is fine if it's reasonable to your experience and capabilities. It's not reasonably for management to expect a nurse with limited experience and having been out of direct patient care for years to just step back into it.

It's easy for those who don't deal with mental health issues to say "well, a nurse is a nurse" or "make the best of it" and all the other well intention suggestions/advice. If ONLY it were that easy. Please look at your options to leave your employer, even if temporarily, as NO job is worth becoming suicidal over. I too currently struggle with depression, anxiety and have for decades. I also had suicidal ideations in the past so I understand, to the point I can, your position on how overwhelming what is being asked of you is.

[BButterfly1993, ADN, BSN]

Can you volunteer to triage or screen nursing staff/visitors by taking their temperature instead? We used surgery nurses who did not want to return to the floor as COVID screeners. Maybe you can take control of the situation by volunteering instead of being voluntold?

[HiddencatBSN, BSN]

On 8/22/2020 at 2:21 PM, TT IS said:

That they are, they're going on 4.5 months without pay but a lot offered to pick up shifts at our covid test sites or pick up shifts for facility entrance screening.

I appreciate that my hospital made reassignments rather than furloughing staff. We had a hotline staffed by nurses for the public to call in to for concerns, to schedule testing, with referrals to social and financial resources. Our hospital took volunteers downstate to help when things were really bad in NYC and the home units had support from ambulatory staff during this time. We have temperature screeners at the main entrances and our covid units had increased staff to allow for time to manage the hefty PPE protocols slowing things down. When our census dropped they sent us to other units to shadow to gain higher acuity skills in case we needed to be pulled in during a surge.

Our state increased unemployment benefits but I’d much rather take a temporary reassignment especially with an orientation than deal with the uncertainty of a layoff or furlough.

I agree that OP should give orientation a shot and then reassess if it’s still not working. I don’t see how they could report you to the board of nursing for deciding to leave unless you’re leaving midshift without handing off care properly- even in a state of emergency we’re not conscripts.

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

My state board of nursing has an excellent website. One of the tabs is “Things for which the Board will NOT take action.” It contains about ninety percent of the stuff that I see bosses threatening on this website. It is unconscionable that managers will say “I’ll report you to the Board for XYZ!” in order to make nurses fall in line, when XYZ is some thing that the board would take no interest in.

[Emergent, RN]

On 8/22/2020 at 10:39 AM, Jedrnurse said:

Are nurse administrators leaving their offices and picking up shifts as well?

They will have weekly meetings to study that proposal. Hopefully the catered food will be adequate. They'll get back to you in 6 months with a decision. Thanks so much for caring!

[HiddencatBSN, BSN]

1 hour ago, Emergent said:

They will have weekly meetings to study that proposal. Hopefully the catered food will be adequate. They'll get back to you in 6 months with a decision. Thanks so much for caring!

But here’s a thank you card, enjoy!

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, Emergent said:

They will have weekly meetings to study that proposal. Hopefully the catered food will be adequate. They'll get back to you in 6 months with a decision. Thanks so much for caring!

...but will there be pens and/or water bottles for Nurse's Week???

[amoLucia]

CommunityRNBSN - what state? I think I'd like to read that.

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

Here is what you can do, accept the position (you didn't technically refuse it) and then put your notice in. Tough place to be in if you don't do well, because you could be reported for nursing errors and as you mentioned reported for not accepting the position. I'm a psych nurse. I have cared for many patients that can't handle certain types of job stress. At this time you will most likely work the hardest as a floor nurse then you ever have. On my floor we are accepting more med-surg type patients, getting floated to other floors, and taking on more pts. I just want you to know that working conditions are rough. Staff are quitting left and right. Replacements are very slow to come. Could you do it?, possibly but is it worth your sanity?

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

They can report you to the BON for refusing if they want but it holds zero water. You aren't abandoning patient care if you never accepted it in the first place and there is nothing that says you have to do whatever your employer feels is best. That's just nonsense.

I wish you luck. These are difficult times.

[HiddencatBSN, BSN]

5 hours ago, Nurse SMS said:

They can report you to the BON for refusing if they want but it holds zero water. You aren't abandoning patient care if you never accepted it in the first place and there is nothing that says you have to do whatever your employer feels is best. That's just nonsense.

I wish you luck. These are difficult times.

Seriously. They might mark you ineligible for rehire if you don’t give notice, but not accepting a bedside reassignment isn’t reportable unless you’re walking out midshift after accepting the assignment and without handing off care appropriately. Pandemic or not.

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

What ever happened with your job? Did you get redeployed?