Nur-C

You are all putting my mind at ease. I do realize that IMC is critical care but it is not ICU. I realize that the RN's there need to have critical care skills in order to work there, and while I worked in the ICU I did float at least once a month to the Step-down unit, so I have worked there. My contract does specifically state ICU, and during the interview they discussed trauma ICU with me, so that is why I am concerned. There was a roster sent out that actually shows the 9 nurses that were hired, listing their specialty, and the unit they are assigned to. All of the nurses are working on their specialty units, including the IMC nurses being assigned to IMC, ICU nurses being assigned to CVICU, Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, etc. I am the only one with ICU as my specialty and being stationed in IMC. I am feeling better about this than I was previously, thanks to all of your responses. I will keep you all posted and let you know how it all works out. Thank you all so much for responding to my post.

Thanks for the answer. You are right, I did work in an ICU where I was tripled 2 out of the 3 days I worked in the ICU. My biggest worry is that I will lose ICU skills that are not usually done in a progressive care or stepdown unit, (what I consider IMC). ICU is the only place we intubated patients, continuously titrated drips, etc.. I love recovering open hearts and dealing with SWANS, etc. If I am working in an IMC, I am assuming I will not be doing these things for 3 months. I want to keep up on those skills AND stay marketable as an ICU travel RN.

Thank you for responding. The latest is that they are now wanting me to speak with the clinical nurse liason so she can discuss with me what I will be doing. They have said nothing about changing me from IMC to ICU. If I back out, will I be liable to pay back what they've spent so far? Do you think this will make me look bad in the "travel nursing world"? I know recruiters know other recruiters from companies other than the one they work for. I don't want to give myself a bad name.

Hello, I have signed a 13 week contract to work ICU at a Level I trauma Center. I am supposed to start next week and I just received the roster, which has me assigned to an IMC floor. I am concerned as I do not want to lose my ICU skills and be staffed on a unit I did not sign a contract to work on. I have no problem floating there when needed but I believe I should be stationed in an ICU if that's the contract I signed, correct? So far the response I have gotten back states that they were told that the IMC is a critical care unit with a 1:2-3 patient ratio. This is still not ICU. Do I have the right to back out of the contract? I know they already set up my extended stay housing, and I have had a drug screen and background screening completed. If the agency cannot hold up to what the contract says, do I have this option? I really wanted to work for them in the ICU, but am very stressed right now on what I should do.

Thank you Rod, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer me so quickly. I needed to hear things that way I think. I do still need to relocate, either closer to my family for childcare, or to a hospital/city that has a flexible daycare facility. Again, I thank you.

I'm in the midst of making some big decisions about my career and life. I am strongly thinking of quitting my job and going to Travel Nursing instead. I've always wanted to, and it's now or never for me. I'm 41 and completely unattached, I do have a 6 year old son that will just be starting 1st grade. There is nothing holding me to the city I am currently living in, except my job in the CCU/ICU here at the hospital. The only people I know are people I have met from work. (I've worked here for 2.5 years and lived here for 2 years). Before I took this job, I worked agency per diem for 8 years, but was able to get full time hours easily, with a very good pay rate! I decided to take the permanent job when the economy went bad, and decide to specialize in critical care, (as agency I was a Med-Surg/Tele RN). One of the things I was wanting to ask is what you do for insurance? Most of the Travel Agencies pay for insurance while you are on assignment, but if you go more than 1-2 weeks between assignments you have no insurance at that time. I think it would still be okay because I wouldn't take much more than that off (in theory). So the reasons I want to do this is because I like the freedom of seeing and working at new places, I can decide when I want to take time off, and most importantly for more money. I want to make more money, get my credit right, and be able to save and have more money for fun stuff (with this job I can't save or get ahead). It's good money, but there's not much extra. At least with travel assignments I would make the same as what I'm making now or more, and still get my housing paid for, (which means all that I make doesn't have to pay rent or bills). As far as my 6 year old, I really think we could be stable anywhere. My 19 year old moved out last week to start his own life, so I have a daycare dilemma facing me now as well. I don't trust home daycare, and want Scotty in a facility for daycare. There is no facility open past 6pm in this School District. I have move anyway, so I figure why not just go for it and Travel like I've always wanted to! I'm sure there are daycare facilities in that ARE able to accommodate 12 hour shifts for nurses. (anybody that has any info on good facilities for this please let me know this too?) I really want to make this work for me, I can be flexibile where I need to be. Okay lots of questions I have asked, please respond, negative or positive, I need all the opinions I can get, and all the encouragement I can get too! Thank you so much for you time!

I would think you could put something like this: Focus- Pt's condition unchanged, no improvement, no declination Data- saO2 90%, RR 28, BP 100/60, T 98.6, HR 98 Action- no changes, continue to follow care plan Response- patient condition stable, resting comfortably.