Any nursing managers? Job question

[BoonersmomRN]

OK here is my scenario...hopefully you can help answer my dilemma.

I was working on a unit of my hospital as a tech. The unit wasn't a good match for me so I put in for a transfer. Human Resources was helping me find a new unit I liked- I interviewed on a unit and LOVED it. I told HR and they contacted the manager and she said YES hire her...so my transfer was approved. This was at the end of March The transfer process took a couple of weeks with paperwork, etc what not.I was technically " cleared" to begin on the new unit as of yesterday ( Sunday the 22nd) although I was supposed to be oriented to it/ trained on it before that.

OK here is my problem. HR called me up and offered me the new position which I accepted...again this was back at the end of March. My contact at HR then told me to contact my new manager about scheduling. I called her on a Tues and she told me she was working on the new schedules and that she would probably call me back the following day. This was TWO 1/2 weeks ago. I gave her a few days and left her another message...basically to the tune of I hope I didn't miss your call...looking forward to hearing from you, etc. A few more days go by and I still haven't heard from her. So, I sent her an email "just following up". A few more days go by and nothing. THEN I got an email from my HR representative that the manager knows I have been trying to get in touch with her..she's busy ( she took over this unit for the reg. manager who is on maternity leave)...and that I should hear from her by LAST wed at the latest. As of today....I still haven't heard from her. I have been released from my old unit...so in order to work I have to work on THIS unit...and I can't work if I don't have a schedule...and I can't get a schedule because she hasn't called me back. So, today I had clinicals and my clinicals are in the same hospital so I popped onto the unit afterwards to see if I could maybe catch her in person...but she wasn't there and the unit secretary told me she was pretty sure she was gone for the day. I then went to HR where the HR representative told me she'd contact her again...and again " be patient".

I have no problems being patient...but it's been WEEKS since I accepted the position and I feel as if I am in limbo. I need to work ( have bills to pay!) and I feel as if I am being ignored sort of.

As a manager- what if any advice can you give me? Should I just sit on my hands until she finally does call? Should I call her again? Another email? Anything? All help would be appreciated!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i was an acute hospital nursing supervisor for many years as well as a nurse manager. there is one thing i can think of that will probably get you working, but you may not like it. i would call the nursing staffing office (if they have one) and tell them that you would like to work, could they use you? if there are any open holes in the schedule, i'm sure they will put you on. the thing is that you will end up working pretty much where they need you, which means floating. if there is no staffing office and you work an off shift, call and talk to the nursing supervisor who is on duty and tell him/her that while you are waiting to get a regular work schedule you would like to know if they could use you and how do you go about doing that. i'm sure they would be glad to explain to you how it works, if they occasionally need workers. if you are on a day shift, call around to various unit managers of the units you like or talk to someone in the nursing office and ask if they are in need of an extra pair of hands while you are waiting to get your regular work schedule.

when i did supervision, we occasionally had staff who would let us know that they wanted to work an extra day. we had a list that we would put them on. if we had a call-off, we would call these people to come in to work before we would start floating people from one unit to another.

i'm surprised no one has called you to ask if you were willing to work as a float or as a prn while this manager gets you on her schedule. your hospital must be staffed up to it's ears, eh?

[BoonersmomRN]

Thanks Daytonite.

Yes, my hospital is notoriously well staffed but also I am there as a " nursing student scholar" tech and therefore we have to work only on the Unit we are assigned to/accepted on. Otherwise, I could work through registry and float but I am not allowed to