Mandatory Cross-training

[Nikjraccoon]

Hi. I'm an RN in a Surgical ICU unit. Our specialty is transplant- liver, kidney, pancreas, as well as Whipples, liver resections, nephrectomies, etc. A huge new facility was built on our campus for CV surgery. We were informed today that both CV surgery AND transplant will go to the new facility and we are all required to train on hearts-CBAGs, etc. We were told we will not have a choice to just do transplant, it is mandatory that we cross train. The only monetary compensation we will receive will be a 50 cent differential for LVAD. We will be required to learn ECMO, balloon pumps, impellas, etc. Their plan is to have 40+ people cross trained by Feb 4. This unit will have 20 beds. We were also informed that there will only be one charge nurse for each rotation and shift, pushing out 1 charge nurse per rotation/shift and the CNs found that out when we did- no conversation happened with the charge nurses prior to the announcement. I'm at a loss. Almost none of the nurses on my unit want to train on hearts. Does anyone have any advice on how to go forward? I don't know what to do.

[MunoRN, RN]

It's certainly not unusual for hospitals to adjust over time to changing needs, which means you can't really expect to only be asked to care for one type of patient forever. The need to adapt to differing patient populations depending on how the hospital is organized is usually part of a nurse's job description, so there's really nothing you can do about it. Either adapt or leave.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

As Muno said so well, either adapt or leave. "Other duties as assigned' is in your job description somewhere.

Have to wonder how administration thinks nurses can learn and apply such complex technical skills in 2 months. Who is going to be taking care of your current population, while you are training?

Wishing you the best in this mess. But, you will be much more marketable with those skills.

[RNperdiem, RN]

The new unit will be staffed by both CV nurses and SICU nurses together?

If that is the case, then you should have nurses experienced in the balloon pumps and other things that will be new to you. It can work if the staffing and training is appropriate.

I am not one to like change either, but change happens.

If you continue working there, you will increase your skill set and that will make you more eligible for another job if the transition does not work out.

[JKL33]

Changes like this cause people to be at a loss because somehow "providing excellent care" is usually not what wins out amidst the underlying greed. That is, while adaptation is necessary and change can be good, these types of situations evoke concern for patients, and individual nurses become concerned about their ability to practice in manners they believe to be ethical and excellent. In this particular case, it's the aggressive goal for "cross-training" that betrays the greed factor. There wasn't a long goal to make sure people were properly prepared and comfortable with the new patient set, but rather the incorporation of nurses new to the patient population is going to be accomplished with a "Because We Can and We Said So" mindset that serves the bottom line instead of patients.

I'm "over" the idea of becoming disturbed about things like this as a nurse after multiple proofs that providing the kind of care that we would want to receive is actually not a goal of decision makers. But for those who truly espouse a take-it-or-leave-it point-of-view, I would remind you that we all have been, are, or will be patients.

So where does that leave you, OP? Well, you have the option to do the best you can with this; that's what I'd do. Beyond that, never fail to have your own life, and focus it on those to whom you mean something. Now you know who cares and who doesn't, so make your life choices accordingly.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Look up "constructive dismissal." I believe this situation might apply, and could help you make your decisions.

[Daisy Joyce]

If it were me, I would go along and get along at work, do whatever I'm told, but in my own time be polishing and sending out my resume .

If you're lucky enough to learn some new skills during your job search, you can put them on the resume.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I work on an ortho unit and our sister unit used to be urology, benign gyn, gyn onc, plastics and ENT (I know-quite a mix) we used to be cross-trained to that unit, After restructuring, our sister unit is now ortho/neuro spine (makes more sense).

We had to learn everything about the other unit. I ended up spending the last month of my 6 month orientation there because they were short-staffed. Now, years later, when we get these patients, I am one of few that can discharge a nephrectomy pt, change and ostomy, urostomy, and nephrectomy dressings. It's wild.