Is this kind of DON the norm in this profession

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Aug 5, 2014

What your DON is saying can be the norm in places; there will be a time that nurses are needed to be pulled to different units; your feelings are not taken into consideration over staffing issues; the focus is in staffing where the residents needs are met.

Sometimes it is what it is; no matter how it's delivered.

It would've been nice to have given you a heads up, but that doesn't always occur, as you have experienced in this case.

amoLucia · Aug 5, 2014

You do work for the facility - not one unit. And pt needs come first, nurses/staff choices come in a distant next. That's the reality of any place in healthcare. It's a business.

Yes, your DON and staff coordinator could have been more diplomatic, but such is life! And it's NOT that the DON doesn't care about you and staff, it's just that she HAS TO CARE about pts needs more!

And just FYI, there will be more similar instances that will most assuredly occur over the course of you career. Just don't take it personally. It's not you.

Ruas61, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2014

It happens from time to time.

Staffing adjustments may need to be made to accommodate situations.

Sometimes notifying someone of such a change is the last thing on the list when people are scrambling to cover shifts.

allnurses Guide · Aug 5, 2014

I don't know if my DONs cared about me or not, but in those facilities in which there was a place to be floated, I got floated. I never was called at home, which is a good thing because nothing positive could come of it. I could suddenly be seized with an illness right on the phone, could refuse to come in, or would just have more time to worry and stew about it.

At times I did actually whine to my DON upon hearing the news because I much preferred the familiar. I regret the way I behaved because I now realize there was nothing my DON could do about it anyway. They have to staff the facility. I do understand how you feel, though.

amoLucia · Aug 6, 2014

I was Staff Devel nurse at one LTC place. My start time was later than the ADON. Once in a while when I would have to cover a floor, the ADON would actually call me just to give me a heads-up. Not that my time would have gotten me in too much earlier, but I could make it by 15 to 20 minutes quicker than my norm.

I wasn't thrilled to cover the floor, but I did appreciate the phone call. Maybe it was just her call to me as a courtesy because we were both nsg management. I don't know.

LTCRN4LIFE · Aug 6, 2014

I think you put your DON in a "defense" position by the way you addressed her. I get that feeling by

the way you are telling us how it happened. I would bet the Scheduler got to her before you did. I think if you had approached it differently you may have gotten a better response.

I can just see her(DON) standing there feeling attacked by you when you spoke to the Scheduler like you did "Wanted to know why you didn't get a call"

The scheduler is an extension (the right arm) of the DON. They talk a lot during any given day.

Bear in mind.....she could have explained it better...but....you work where needed. Courtesy calls are not the norm. Nor should they be expected. If done they are just that "courteous"

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Aug 13, 2014

You were hired to work for the FACILITY not a specific unit. No one likes to float but the DNS's main concern is always the needs of the residents. I care about my staff but I need to make sure the residents' needs are met first.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Aug 13, 2014

At this stage in your career you will want to show flexibility and willingness to learn and train on other units. Now you've already halfway pigeonholed yourself as the opposite of that. Probably the #1 rule of this profession is: expect the unexpected.

caliotter3 · Aug 13, 2014

You are more likely to be well-regarded and likely to get things that you want, if you develop a reputation for being cooperative. You can expand on this good will by being known as cooperative and cheerful. That is near the basis for building a good relationship with your DON. Build a good relationship with her, by not making her job more difficult, and you will reap the benefits while on this job and in the future when she provides you with a good reference.

not2bblue · Oct 1, 2014

I agree with the others, floating is part of the job and it is not common to get a call. (not sure why you would need one unless you were floating to another building and would need to drive there and be on time) Just so you know, they have a list and try to be fair with the floats. Based on the fact that you start your post with information that no one has complained about you, makes me think you believe the float was a punishment for wrong doing. While it could be, it probably is not. If someone had a huge complaint the DON would call you in and discuss it, not just farm you off to another unit. If you did something bad you would do it there too. So, the float is just to cover staffing. I'm sure you were taken back, but I can tell you that going to the DON to tell her you would have floated if asked but were now upset you were being floated was counterproductive. You work there and they aren't going to ask you politely would you like to float. If you say no, and so does everyone else, then what? You were assigned to float. Unless working the other unit would put the patients in danger (like being a LTC nurse asked to float to ICU with no orientation), you just go.

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Nov 21, 2014

there was a different staffing need, and they needed you to do it, they needed your help