Red flag on new unit?

[arnie1234]

I am interested in transferring to a SICU at the hospital where I work after having been in management away from the bedside for a few years. I spent a couple of hours shadowing on the day shift, and the night shift to get a better idea of the suitability of the unit. Both nurses that I shadowed seemed to really like their job and were very welcoming. I like the complexity of the patients and had a good shadowing experience both times.

What worries me is that they currently have 6 open night positions. Both staff members I shadowed (one day and one night), are both leaving in a month. I also overheard someone else state they were leaving. None of the staff members who are leaving bad mouthed the department, they appear to have personal situations that are changing. I realize that this is a high stress, high burn out area as these are the sickest patients in the hospital.

I didn't get a huge sense of camaraderie on the unit- I don't know if that is the issue.

they have a new director- not sure if that's the issue either?

I am concerned about who will be left to orient the new people coming on if everyone is leaving? I am assuming they will have to backfill with travelers until they are fully staffed. I did inquire with the director as to why they had so many openings and she indicated that many are leaving due to acceptance into CRNA school, or for family relocation needs. I just don't know if I should entirely believe that?

Thoughts?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Hmmm.

So you've been away from being "in the know". That's a tough spot to be in. Do you have any friends or people who work around in the hospital that you can ask? Even a floor secretary, or tech, on what's the personality of that floor?

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

I would be asking those that are leaving how the floor really is.

[excitedtobehere]

Good for you for researching before blindly jumping into something... For what it's worth, I've heard this is VERY common on ICU floors. Often, people are just trying to get their year (or two) before they can apply to CRNA school. Once that happens, they're gone. It's basically a check in the box on their way to something bigger. I was talking to someone about new grads getting hired into the ICU, as it was something I was interested in, and expressed concern because I will have my ADN and not BSN initially (although I will be doing a bridge program immediately upon graduating). The response I received was surprising. She said that they actually LOOK for people with ADN's for their ICU because so many BSN's leave (despite the fact that their contract is not up) to go to CRNA school. She stated that 100% of their ADN's completed their obligation. I can't say that this is representative of all hospitals by any means, but it was an interesting tidbit I was unaware of. Based on this interview, I wouldn't be suspicious of so many openings.

[eCCU]

My 2cents.......

6 openings is too much for any unit. I would definitely inquire more....how is time off granted, how much turn over have they had in the last 3yrs, how is the relationship between the staff and the attendings. Staff and director. You say you didn't see a lot of team work why? Most icus are very team oriented unless they have personal issues with each other or more.....I would definitely be carefully before swinging in full time. Maybe start as parttime or registry and see. Good luck.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

A new director on the unit can cause the turn around too. A change in the helm may have brought changes that the others didn't like/want or maybe too little too late. I'd try to get some more personal insght from ones really there if you can.

[arnie1234]

I did speak to an anesthesiologist who brings a lot of patients to that floor. She stated that she thought the new director was letting go of some of the lazier people. She also said it was a tough floor but the kind that will make you a nurse that can work "anywhere".

People for the most part (especially on nights) seemed to keep to themselves with the exception of one or two. Good questions about time off and other things like that to ask the director.

[Flo., BSN, RN]

For me personally that would be too big of a red flag. Who is going to mentor you? Your training will most likely be rushed. Even if all 6 were really leaving because of family needs that is still too many at one time. I would look elsewhere.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

If this is a unit that makes a person able to work anywhere, does that mean you learn through trial by fire? I see red flags all over the place.

[ukstudent]

How big a unit is it? Does 6 open positions represent a large or moderate percentage of the night staff? It could be that they loose 6 people every summer and this is normal, or it could be a very bad sign. If you can, see if you can get answer to some of these questions. I would also ask about orientation time for you. As someone that has been gone from the bedside for several years you will probably need a new grad orientation time length in order to get up to speed. Nursing information and drugs will come back to you but time management takes time to get back. We have had a few ex-managers come to my SICU and most have struggled, some did not make it through orientation, most eventually did with extended time. Mind you in the time they had been away from the floors the hospital had changed IV pumps and changed the charting system. What type of ICU education are they going to give you? Is it formal classes as well as being on the unit?

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

At 3 am when you've got a patient circling the drain, you do NOT want the most experienced person on the floor to be someone who graduated 1 semester before you did. There's a reason these people are all leaving, and I doubt it was because they were all "lazy." To me, that can mean "too lazy" to take an unsafe number of patients, work an unsafe number of hours, to do bad nursing to make the hospital good money. RUN.

[casi, ASN, RN]

It depends on the size of the floor.

Sometimes turn over just happens.