Really horrible working conditions with NO support

[squatsandPB]

I've been working full-time with a float pool (a nursing resource team) within an acute hospital for 2+ years (In Ontario, Canada). We pretty much float to every unit of the hospital.

When I first started this position... it was a dream. Great supportive management and easy going nurse educators. Even though we have to be very flexible because we're pretty much thrown into anything I always felt like we had support.... if things got out of control there was someone to turn to it.

Unfortunately, when we go to certain floors we OFTEN get dumped on and many of the regular staff aren't always willing to help. That is something that seemed to always come with being a float nurse but our manager would always be on top of it and when and if we went back to that floor we would see an improvement.

As of the last 6 + months our manager has now taken on more tasks... as a result I feel like we have just been thrown out there to sink.

You'd think being float staff we would have top notch managers.

I have had some HORRID shifts.. I don't mean just busy patient loads... I mean honestly unfair patient assignments... Everyone else is sitting and taking a breaks and me being the float staff is running my A$$ off. I had shifts where the charge nurse wouldn't even give me a hand and the only time she helped me was when the doctor came to the floor and stated out loud in the nurses station "Look she needs help"

I had one night shift where I was in the bathroom in tears because it was literally impossible for me to get everything done... I asked numerous times for help and everyone (who was sitting on the computer) was acting like I asked them to jump off a bridge. It was a horrible shift... it was unsafe for the patients, myself and it was beyond unprofessional. I emailed my manager... he did not respond.

This is the first time I've pipped up about a floor.. I don't like to complain but I know it's going to be an ongoing issue on that floor and I had to say something.

So now... I'm booked on this floor AGAIN and I can guarantee it will be no different... no help, no nothing. Every other time in the past when someone would address a floor to our manager he would no longer send them there.

SO, what exactly did my manager do? I understand people are busy but this is a HUGE difference from how he was before... he is letting all of this slack and we're all working in ridiculous conditions.

I honestly have no idea what to do... I can't keep working in these conditions with no support. How can I provide the best patient care? I don't know who to go too

Everyone has been complaining about new ongoing issues with management. The managers on the floor do not give a **** about us and neither does our own now.

[Peanut&Buttercup]

Can you go talk to your manager? I have been in a similar situation, where I have not received a response to an email. I took it personally, as if he was ignoring me and my issue but, when I spoke to him, I realized that he had just never seen my email. You mentioned that your manager has taken on more responsibility. She just may be overwhelmed too. Try again, in person if you can.

Good luck!

[edimo]

Float pools are their own unique challenge since you're being sent everywhere and it's hard to keep tabs on people. When I used to be in the float pool where I work, I was also the union rep. Is there a union rep where you are? I would frequently liaison with our union president and then we would sit down with our manager to address the concerns of the float team. Most of the time, this would have positive outcomes.

[ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN]

Call out sick for that next shift on that unit. Call it a mental health day. Let them work short.

I would not agree to work another shift there.

Maybe you should consider a part time position on a decent unit with the option to work overtime.

When they call you to pick up time on the clownshow unit you can be a little snarky and say no thanks I dont need to have that lovely experience again.

I would make it my mission to avoid that unit for the rest of my time there.

Some units are just bad. You cant fix their evil ways and you should steer clear.

[sistrmoon, BSN, RN]

Ugh this is just painful to read. We are always careful not to give an awful assignment to our floats and I always offer to help them because I know how hard it is the few times I've had to float to another unit. I'm just so sorry. You need to go up the chain of command if your manager doesn't do anything after an in person meeting.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Been there , done that.

Can't go back in time but, during the shift when you ended up crying in the bathroom.. you needed to take the issue right then and there to supervision.

Agree with libbyliberal.. do not accept another assignment to that unit until the issue is addressed.

Agree with sistrmoon.. your manager must respond either via email, in person , or phone within 24 hours .. then go to their manager.

Good luck.

[tarotale]

our unit used to treat nurses who floated or resource nurses that way before I worked (instead of getting pts from staff nurses, she would get new admits back to back, very unfair), and the manager heard about it and put stop to it immediately. Hopefully you will get fair treatment... and I know it's contradictory to say after that encouragement, but resource nurses do get 2x the money for the EXACT same thing that I and staff nurses do... not an excuse for maltreatment, but I won't say I don't understand why some people feel bitter about it and dump hard assignments on resource rns.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

our unit used to treat nurses who floated or resource nurses that way before I worked (instead of getting pts from staff nurses, she would get new admits back to back, very unfair), and the manager heard about it and put stop to it immediately. Hopefully you will get fair treatment... and I know it's contradictory to say after that encouragement, but resource nurses do get 2x the money for the EXACT same thing that I and staff nurses do... not an excuse for maltreatment, but I won't say I don't understand why some people feel bitter about it and dump hard assignments on resource rns.

Please document your statement that float pool receives twice the "money" that staff nurses receive.(as if that would matter). Float nurses DO NOT do the exact same thing.

I have worked float pool in MANY different institutions.. I did receive a few more dollars an hour, however I received NO benefits and was required to take on the DAUNTING task of working on a different unit every day.

It is your mistaken impression of the float nurse role, that leads to the float nurse abuse.

[kungpoopanda]

Please document your statement that float pool receives twice the "money" that staff nurses receive.(as if that would matter). Float nurses DO NOT do the exact same thing.

I have worked float pool in MANY different institutions.. I did receive a few more dollars an hour, however I received NO benefits and was required to take on the DAUNTING task of working on a different unit every day.

It is your mistaken impression of the float nurse role, that leads to the float nurse abuse.

If it's so great, why aren't they doing it?

[tarotale]

Please document your statement that float pool receives twice the "money" that staff nurses receive.(as if that would matter). Float nurses DO NOT do the exact same thing.

I have worked float pool in MANY different institutions.. I did receive a few more dollars an hour, however I received NO benefits and was required to take on the DAUNTING task of working on a different unit every day.

It is your mistaken impression of the float nurse role, that leads to the float nurse abuse.

I am sure facilities vary, but in ours, resource nurses get close to $50 per hour AS THEIR BASE and that is not even including shift diffs and weekend diffs (TX), and yes, I do understand that floating between medsurg realm of oncology, bariatric, surgical, medical, nephrology, telemetry would be pretty hectic and there is no denying in that. But when they work with me, they do exactly the same things I do (actually if they are lucky that day with assignments and admissions, even less work). I give sympathy to resource rns and do think work assignments need to be fair but please, if you need to mark their work as "difficult" JUST because they are resource nurses, I strongly beg to differ. Of course, I will say they do have more chance of having crappy days than me, who is a staff rn working at my home unit, home turf, stable place, but that's why resource rns make more than 2x my money, most of times doing the exact same thing.

and @kungpoo: we don't have openings for resource rns at our place.

I am not condoning resource rn abuse, but I do want to make it clear that they do get paid A LOT more

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Your manager has been called to the carpet on the managment style that takes into consideration the nurses on your team as opposed to the bottom line.

It doesn't matter that he had your backs. His focus now needs to be having the company's back. Period.

If they are paying you more money, you betcha that you will now "earn" it. Because hopefully, you will then say enough is enough, perhaps they will offer you a staff position instead, get to pay you less, and you will quit your moaning. (and don't even get me started on the "IF we have a suitable position for you" mantra). Personally, as a multi year LPN in acute care, I had the best managers around. Until a new DON came into play. Then it was every man for himself, and the managers were being replaced quicker than they could say good morning. To a more compliant one who would not cut the puppet strings.

OR they will decide that this "float pool business" doesn't work, will quash the thing all together, and then ya'll can either transfer or seee ya. They could and do get agency nurses or per diems who will just do as they are told, for less money.

Even with a strong middle manager, they are restricted in what they can or can not do by those higher on the food chain. If they continue to not take the bottom line (ie: cash money) into consideration as priority, then they too shall be out of a job.

Nursing is far from what it used to be. If they could create robots to do what they need to have done in less time with no human error so that they could make the most money, all whilst doing superhuman tricks to make the patient believe they are in a hotel with private nursing care--they would in a moment. Not because they give a patootie about the patient, just that the patient has the illusion so that they will fill out a form and the facility gets a big reimbursement.

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

Where I work there's one floor that's notorious for dumping on its pulled nurses. It's med-surg so the clinical conditions are more tame, and the assessments, VS, and documentation are all less frequent - but the staff loves dumping the psychos (and their crazy families) on us. Last two times I got pulled there I was hit right at change of shift (before so much as even seeing the patient) with families accusing me of suspected abuse/neglect of the patient, of course after getting horrid report. [it's funny how when you give report to these nurses they grill you about every minute detail, yet when you get report from them they suck. No matter, because I can fill the blanks from the chart, but still kinda funny.] Later in each of these nights I had to give IM Haldol (ugh) after the patients lost their minds, while every other nurse seemed to be able to just sit and chill for 6 hours with their little old ladies.

Needless to say when I see that nurses from this particular floor are getting pulled to mine (not frequent) I tend to not be helpful at all. God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.