Published Jan 16, 2019
Junebug14, ASN, RN
117 Posts
Any of you experience an issue where you were pulled to another unit, such as ICU because staff was low/no ICU nurse and you are the one that is the "best fit"?
SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN
3,376 Posts
On 1/16/2019 at 7:33 AM, Junebug14 said:Any of you experience an issue where you were pulled to another unit, such as ICU because staff was low/no ICU nurse and you are the one that is the "best fit"?
When I worked on a cardiac step-down unit, I have floated to an ICU to cover patients that are being transferred out of an ICU to a cardiac step-down unit, but there were no beds in the step-down unit to accept them. So, if that is the case with you, where you are only covering patients that are Medical-Surgical level of care and are only there because there are no Medical-Surgical beds available, then it should not be a problem. If you are covering ICU level of care patients and are not qualified to do so, then that sounds like a problem. Good luck! ?
brownbook
3,413 Posts
I worked in a smallish acute care hospital. I was a med/surg nurse and was floated to ICU. There were often, usually, lower acuity patients I could easily take. Honestly one or two stable ICU patients was easier than 8 med/surg patients. The ICU nurses were very appreciative and helpful.
So it all depends on the acuity of the ICU patients.