New Nurse Needs Advice about Nursing Politics!!

[LiquidmoonRN]

I am a recent graduate who just passed her Nclex (Yay!!). I was accepted into an internship program at my local hospital where i worked as a nurse aide and where I did my externship last year in the ICU, so I was really excited to go back and work as a nurse in the ICU.

I interviewed with 3 nurse managers. I made it clear that ICU was my first choice but that i would take telemetry if ICU were not available. I got the job offer and was told I would be on telemetry. I was bummed, but excited to have a job. I asked the human resources rep why i wasn't selected for the ICU and she said she'd find out..

So i get the offer letter a few weeks later and it says "telemetry/ICU". Apparently I was to float between both floors. I really didn't want to do this as a new graduate cause it would get really confusing.

So I asked various people and after a week I was told that I was to stay in telemetry. Again, bummed by the news..

Then the day before we were scheduled to begin on the floors (during orientation) I found out that one of the new grads was transfered out of his assigned floor and placed in the ICU!!! I was soo upset!! then the VP of nursing introduced herself to me and she was confused when I said I was in telemetry..

Apparently I have been part of an ongoing battle between the ICU and the Telemetry nurse manager because they both want me!!

Everyone understands that my first choice is ICU!! The nurse manager of telemetry knows that I want to be in the ICU!! I know she was really impressed with me at the interview, but isn't it my choice if both floors want me?

The VP of nursing and the director of Human Resources have assured me that I WILL be placed in the ICU before the end of next week.. But the nurse manger of telemetry is really tough and I don't wanna **** her off.. Esp since she's acting supervisor several times a week and i don't wanna start trouble right off the bat!!

What do I do?! I really really really want to be part of the ICU and I'm sick of being pulled back and forth!!

[Nus4au2]

Take your ICU position, there is one thing that will ring true to you, you do your best work when you are happy. I think that anything the manager may hold over you will go away if you start to prove that you not only want ICU, but can do the job. You can't argue with someone showing their worth to a dept. You may also choose to float more when you start getting you comfort level up. The job choice is always ours, it's once we agree to do the work that it then affects the patient. There is nothing wrong with saying no, or choosing something else as long as the pt does not suffer for it. Enjoy your ICU position

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

What good will the Tele job do for you or the hospital if you hate it so much that you eventually quit?

Better for everyone to get placed where they really want to go, don't you think?

[suanna]

I know you had your heart set on ICU but Tele isn't such a bad place to start. Learning your rhythms and cardiology treatment protocals without mixing in vents, pressors, traumas is a good way to learn some advanced skills without being overwhelmed. I've known a few very good nurses that ended up leaving the hospital because they hired into ICU and the stress pushed them out before they had a chance to get their feet on the ground. ICU will always be there and I hope you get in as soon as you want to, but I'm a firm believer in providence. Things happen for a reason, and usually, if you go with the flow, there are frequently unforeseen benefits to be had.