Made to float, when I know I will sink.

[imintrouble]

My hospital has begun a practice that I feel is dangerous to pts. and nurses. In order to save money, nurses are being floated to different areas of the the hospital. We are being plugged into holes with no regard for our level of expertise. As a med/surg nurse, I completely understand being sent to a different floor, or nurses' station. I don't like it, but that practice is a fact of life. What has started to happen is, med/surg nurses are being sent to pediatrics. I have never been a pediatric nurse. I am not familiar with meds, normal VS,......It's scary. What's even worse, med/surg nurses are being scheduled in ER, ICU, et telemetry units. Without ACLS certification. If the nurse voices resistance, INSUBORDINATION is tossed around. Without management saying it, we recognize our jobs are threatened if we do not meekly do as we are told.

What recourse do we have without a union?

[Redhead28]

Everywhere that I've worked that had "mandatory" floating tried to send you to a unit with a similar group of patients. I think it is unsafe for you and the patients if you are going from adult med-surg to pedi. That being said the receiving unit usually does everything possible to give you an appropriate assignment. Floating sucks. I worked in one hospital that did not have mandatory float, which means you choose to go home or to float. Most choose to not float. Look at your policy, contact JCAHO. I believe they something about same skill set on floating, and your hospital would have to show that all nurses receive the same education across the board to be in compliance.

[dscrn]

Years ago, I was floated from Nsy to Ortho...as I walked on the floor, I noticed a pt with a trach-knew she would be "mine". I didn't refuse assignment-said someone else was going to need to do trach care...staff was not happy, but they did it.. Years later, same hsp went thru a stint of pulling L and D nurses to ER, when l/d slow...of course, the *^% hit the fan, after l/d got busy, and staff had to return. By policy, they were supposed to shower before returning to work in L/D...

[brownbook]

What are you all so scared of! I carry a 3 x 5 card with pediatric parameters on it. (I'm old, I'm sure you could access the same data on an I-pad?) If you need to know a number to assess if ANY patient from 2 months to 102 years is in distress you have a problem! You become a better all around nurse when you do challenge yourself to learn new things!!!!!! In my 26 years I've floated to ER, ICU, L&D, pre-op, PACU, locked psych unit, GI, long term care, etc. I am not some brave brilliant super nurse. Just an ADN nurse with some common sense. I have an ideal per diem job right now, no nights, no weekends, no holidays, no on-call, thanks to my ability to work with 6 months old to 100 year olds with a variety of medical needs and procedures. And willingness to say "I don't know but I am willing to learn."