Help! I need an advice!

[dt1607]

So I need an advice. I was recently transferred to another facility that is basically the same hospital. I was never made aware that staff was required to float between facilities depending on the hospital's needs. I don't recall that on my job description (I already asked for a copy of it and a copy of the policy that states I have to float). Anywho, I requested the transfer because I did not wanted to be there anymore - it is just pure chaos. Anywho, I woke up this morning to a text from my manager telling me to go to the main hospital because there were multiple call ins. For the next part you need to understand, I am autistic, changes at the last minute are not well received. I have a rigid routine. So I see this msg and I go into full blown panic attack- 1. I don't want to go to the place I requested to be transferred out off. 2. I did not know this was a thing (that I have to float). 3. Such short notice. I texted my manager back to let her know I did not feel comfortable doing that. At this point I am bawling, I take a few minutes to compose myself and I call her twice. Time is running out. Not enough time to call out. I don't want to be a no call no show. She finally calls me back. I tell her I don't deal well with change, she cuts me off and tell me basically I either go, or if I don't, then she will report me to HR for refusing an assignment. I felt threatened. There was no sympathy, no compassion, no options. One thing I hate is feeling helpless. I called HR but I guess they are close on Sundays. I cried all the way to the main hospital, and although I was happy to see my coworkers I just was miserable for being there against my will. I checked the policies but I could not find anything that states I have to be floated from hospital to hospital. My question is, what should I do? What would you do in my shoes? Thank you. 

 

[OnceIWas]

Thousands of nurses prefer a set schedule but in some areas of healthcare that is not always an option. Thousands of nurses have health issues, physical and mental, it is not the responsibility of the employer to manage those. It's the employees. Some reasonable accommodations can be made of course, but honestly, what you are expecting from your employer, to basically work around your needs/comfort level because you don't like sudden change, is unreasonable. Your boss is just that, your boss. Not your therapist, family member, friend..that may sound harsh but her job is not to spend time she doesn't have trying to get shifts covered and patients taken care of to sit with you and go over options. It has nothing to do with whether she feels compassion for you or not. It's business.

You are a registered professional nurse and I'm sure are expected to behave as such. It's surprising you would not know the hours of the HR dept. but most employers don't have HR on Sundays. You also need to understand HR is not going to side with you against your boss. They will go by policy and procedure and take it from there.

You stated to asked for the offer letter and a copy of the policy about floating. Which indicates you did know it was a possibility so at some point it must've been discussed. Did you not keep a copy of your offer letter? If signed electronically you should be able to login and get a copy. Also, policies and procedures can usually be found on a facilities intranet so you possibly have the option to look up the policy yourself.

Am not sure what advice you are seeking but it doesn't sound like you were threatended or mistreated. You were expected to be a professional team player and because it wasn't by the "rules" you need you are unhappy.

If your offer letter/policy makes no mention of floating, you may have some leverage with HR. If not, you need to make a decision to find a position elsewhere that does not require short timed changes because otherwise you will be perpetually unhappy as will your boss where you currently are.

 

[dt1607]

I never had to reach out to HR, so no, I don't know their schedule. 
I read my letter which is why I did not know it was a possibility.

I read the float policy, it states everyone is required to float except those employees hired at will, which is me. 
Floating is an issue for me, in another hospital I reached out to HR, they deleted that from my contract and we moved on,
Other than that, you are absolutely right. Thank you. 

[JohnHood, BSN]

Is this a union hospital? If so contact your rep and check your union contract. I worked for a hospital that was part of five hospitals. The other four hospitals floated between each other. Our hospital was under a different contract and we were in a different county. So we did not float to them and they did not float to us.

 

[BirdieRN, BSN, MSN]

Please reach out & discuss with your HR rep.  Floating stresses everyone out,  but your Autism can make it unbearable. 

This type of floating policy is not uncommon. The goal is,  of course that everyone has adequate staffing. 

Please reach out to HR & request an accommodation. Possibly not to float or to only float to your base hospital or notifying you the evening before when you have to float. Think of ideas that will reduce your reaching / anxiety.

Wishing you luck & be kind to yourself! Nursing is a hard gig!  Doing it with Autism makes you a Rock Star!!

 

 

[Gratefulbutnotstupid, ASN, LPN, RN]

Is your Autism documented as a disability?  If so you may have rights under the ADA allowing reasonable accommodations for employees to do their job.  Your accommodation may be to be working in an area your familiar and comfortable with.   I'm not sure in your case what a reasonable accommodation may be.  Perhaps not floating,   This is something you would need to look into.  I would go about it quietly until I got my answer.  I tend not to trust administration with my business until they can't use it against me.

[MaxAttack, BSN, RN]

That first response was way out of line. I find it hard to believe they are a nurse and are so oblivious to such a prevalent disorder.

Autism is a disability covered under the ADA. HR would handle reasonable accommodations so I would speak with them first. It will hopefully be as simple as that. I also do not think it is unreasonable to ask for a policy concerning floating to an entirely different facility. It's not like it's unheard of for administration to pull fast ones on nurses.

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

OnceIWas said:

Thousands of nurses prefer a set schedule but in some areas of healthcare that is not always an option. Thousands of nurses have health issues, physical and mental, it is not the responsibility of the employer to manage those. It's the employees. Some reasonable accommodations can be made of course, but honestly, what you are expecting from your employer, to basically work around your needs/comfort level because you don't like sudden change, is unreasonable. Your boss is just that, your boss. Not your therapist, family member, friend..that may sound harsh but her job is not to spend time she doesn't have trying to get shifts covered and patients taken care of to sit with you and go over options. It has nothing to do with whether she feels compassion for you or not. It's business.

You are a registered professional nurse and I'm sure are expected to behave as such. It's surprising you would not know the hours of the HR dept. but most employers don't have HR on Sundays. You also need to understand HR is not going to side with you against your boss. They will go by policy and procedure and take it from there.

 

 

 

There is no indication in the original poster's profile that they are a professional nurse. Scolding someone over what sounds like a traumatic event seems out of line. 

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

As far as I know this trend of forcing staff nurses to float to other hospitals thru threats and coercion started during covid.  We are not float staff!  Where I worked they had float staff and the other hospital systems as well that is paid much better because they have to float from hospital to hospital, sometimes in 4 hour increments!  It is such a sign of disrespect, treating us as widgets and not people.  How can you even do your job when you have to float in 4 hour increments to another hospital across town? Insane and ridiculous!

I don't agree with the OP that scolded you and told you to be professional and do what you are told.  If you are not hired as a float nurse you should not have to float to other hospitals.  Generally floating is in the hospital you work for to another unit, but it would not surprise me that more bad hospitals and managers think nurses are supposed to jump.  I'd like to see that manager float to another hospital or even just take a staff assignment anywhere.   This attitude is just another reason for the mass exodus of nurses out of the bedside!

I worked for a union hospital so they could not do that to us, although the corporate yes manager tried to intimidate and coerce some of the nurses telling us we had to do it, but it was only hollow words.  In reality we could volunteer, but why should we.  We weren't paid to float to other hospitals, nor would we know their systems etc.  

I'm sorry for what you are going thru.  I think the best thing you can do is look for another job outside this hospital system.  Maybe check out a doctor's office and you might enjoy your life more and be treated as a person and not a tool to be used at a moment's notice!  I will say though it is a common practice to float to several offices in some places, but even still I imagine it would be less stressful than a hospital.  I believe they are upfront about it.  Or you could look for a clinic or outpatient surgery job.  It just seems that hospitals tend to treat their workers the worst from what I've seen and experienced over my almost 30-year career!  

While you could pursue a disability accommodation re your autism the reality is your manager does not have to allow it and given her attitude, I doubt she will.  Then you will be told keep floating or be fired.  I learned that when I considered getting an accommodation to stop the endless mandation my last year at the dump!  I totally understand what you are going thru and wish you all the best!

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

If you are on the spectrum, you are entitled to accommodations. There should be someone that can help you with that. I went through a period where my therapist thought that I might be on the spectrum due to some issues with interpersonal communication problems (I do not read non-verbal body language or cues well). I was tested and I am not on the spectrum, but I do have traits. 

We had an internal department that helps students that need accommodations. The name of the website is Job Accommodation Network: JAN Many places use this. You should not be forced to do something. 

It's very frustrating that they don't help people that have conditions that need some help (ADD/ADHD, Autism, anxiety, etc)  Instead of yelling and threatening you, they should have referred you to employee health. It's a violation of ADA law. If they get ugly, you can contact your local Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and ask them what to do. 

[dt1607]

Thank you all so much for replying. I went to HR and requested accommodations. I requested advance notice, since I thought if my coworkers were going to float, I should try to do that too to be fair with everyone. My doctor was so amazing and saw me within 1 day to sign all the paperwork. She told me I could request no floating, I told her we could revise in the year. She also mentioned that it might have been illegal what my manager did, and it might be so, but I was not about to start stirring things like that. However, I got a raise of $4 only a few days after I talked to HR. I never had this much increase in one go. Still appreciate it. I do have a PRN job in outpatient surgery center - PACU. I only have been there for 2 months. I want more experience before I can just leave the ER for good. Again, thank you all very much. 🥰

[abbnurse]

So glad things worked out for you, dt1607.    😊