Leafylane

I am moving to a new state and starting a new RN job. I am a critical care nurse (specifically CVICU) nurse by trade and have never worked outside the ICUs. I accepted my new job, which is float pool, with the understanding that I would float to only ICUs. However, the job title on my paperwork and badge says med/surg float. I have addressed the discrepancy with my manager, who assured me that I would only staff ICUs. I have major concerns about this situation. First, is it even legal for a nurse with a med/surg job title to practice in critical care? Secondly, I plan to apply to graduate school. I am afraid that the title will affect my application, since the grad programs all require at least a few years of critical care experience. Lastly, I am concerned that the title on my badge could cause mass confusion among colleagues and patients who dont know me....safety flag. Anyone have experience with this type of situation?

I just looked again to make sure, and employees are allowed to transfer after 90 days of employment. So, I am almost there. Would this be a bad move for me or am I warranted in my concerns?

I have looked for a transfer policy and have not found one stating any time restraints. I am just afraid that it will look bad for me and my resume. I just really want to get out of this situation. I am afraid that I don't have the resources to properly take care of my patients.

I am an ICU nurse with a little over 1.5 years of experience...so a newer nurse. After working an hour and a half away from my home for over a year in a community hospital, I finally got hired in an ICU close to my home and started 2 months ago. The problem is that the intensivists' contract at my new hospital ended in January, so the hospitalists are managing the critical patients. Prior to my hire, many of the nurses employed there left the unit when they found out that the intensivists were leaving. I feel that this has created an unsafe situation with nurses new to the hospital system and hospitalists managing critical patients. At times, we either have no patients, only med/surg patients, or patients that I feel are unsafe to keep. I have even had to serve as charge nurse right off of my orientation. I don't feel ready for this role, and I feel that we are putting patients in danger. Would it be appropriate for me to apply for a transfer within the hospital system even this soon after my hire? There are several other locations within 30 minutes of my home. Addendum: And yes, there was an incident where a doctor prescribed a med. incorrectly, and a patient had to be intubated.

Yes, it was.

Sorry, that does sound confusing. I had the patient for multiple shifts. She swallowed pills, water, food just fine for the first shift I had her. When I came back on for my second shift with her, the NPA had been placed by the day shift doctor, whose reasoning for the trumpet was her apparent inability to cough up thick mucus in her lower airways. At that point, she insisted on sips of water from the CNA, which she in turn aspirated. I also questioned the necessity of the NPA, but that's another issue. I was really just wondering the best practice for oral intake with an NPA as I could not find documentation explaining whether or not swallowing would be significantly affected by the device itself.

That's what I was thinking...that the NPA should still allow for swallowing based on its placement above the epiglottis. Additionally, these patients should still be able to clear their own oral secretions for the most part since they typically don't have continuous suctioning. I just wasn't certain to what degree swallowing would be affected by the device itself outside of other impairments to swallowing. This particular patient had an NPA strictly for deep suctioning, because she was unable cough hard enough to clear mucus from her lower airway. She did not have any apparent swallowing concerns otherwise. But, I tend to agree that NPO is probably safest, and I obtained an order for the patient to be NPO.

This may seem like a common sense question, but I cannot find any documentation regarding best practice. Here it is: Is it safe for a patient with a nasal trumpet to drink water, swallow pills, etc.? I recently had a conscious patient with an NPA who insisted on drinking water and would aspirate and cough violently for 20 minutes every time. Thanks in Advance

I have started to look in outlying areas (up to 3 hours away), but this would still mean that I spend time living apart from my husband. I did the same thing for nursing school and am just really burned out on the traveling. I did receive my BSN in addition to the BS and MS in biological sciences, so education level shouldn't be a deciding factor. I don't know if it's that hiring managers see a lack of experience even though I have 5 years of medical experience or if there is some other problem with my applications and interviews.

I recently graduated from nursing school in Arizona and passed the NCLEX. Unfortunately, my husband and I had to move to Portland, Oregon from Arizona, where there are many opportunities for new nurses to start their careers. Prior to going into nursing, I had jobs as a research assistant and lab instructor at a university, while I was getting my master's degree in Biological Sciences. I then worked as a laboratory technologist and clinical assistant at a clinic for almost 5 years before going to nursing school. I have always wanted to work in the medical field and felt that nursing would be a good fit for me and give me more opportunities to have a great career. I have a strong background in both science and in the medical field. I even did a preceptorship in the ER at Maricopa County's public hospital, but I still am having a hard time finding any job in Portland. I have read and followed all of the job search tips, and I have even started applying to part-time and temp jobs in any department. I apply to every new grad position that comes available. I am starting to become desperate and am afraid that I may have to live away from my husband to find a job. It's very depressing to get rejected at every turn after working so hard. If anyone has any advice regarding employment in the Portland area, I could really use it.