"Floating"

[ajw49886]

I started my nursing career four years ago in orthopedics with a little med surg thrown in. After a year of that I went to an endoscopy clinic while working ot on the ortho floor. Well last night they pulled me to another floor and I was horrified. They pulled me to a cardiac unit and I wanted to have a melt down. While I have done other med surg floors and would of been ok with that, I have never dealt with these patients fresh from their procedures and was extremely worried about doing something wrong. Many times I was hunting for help and there was no one but dietary around. It was a horrible night, I apologized profusely to the nurse who took over for me but I no longer want to work over time anymore. I don't want to be sent to a floor that I have virtually zero experience with. Am I over reacting?

[SubSippi]

I think you're overreacting, but I also think that most people feel the way you do. If it's a cardiac floor with non-critical patients, I'm willing to bet that after four years you're more than able to take care of those patients...even if it makes you nervous.

It's not important that you know exactly what to do in every situation...what's important is that you're able to recognize when something just isn't right and you need some help.

For example, in my CVICU it takes new grads a while (even after they're off orientation) to become proficient in interpreting telemetry rhythms, and they're usually pretty distressed about it. But we just tell them that the most important thing is that they can tell when one is abnormal so they can have us take a look.

Anyway, even if I think you're overreacting, I don't think any of us enjoy being put in your situation. If I had to float to a neuro ICU I would be very unhappy. Buuuuut I don't think I'd kill anyone, either