Scared to float!

Specialties Rehabilitation

Published

Specializes in Acute medical rehab.

I have been working as an RN on an acute inpatient medical rehab floor for almost 2 year. Its the first nursing job I have had and most days I love it!!! What scares me is when the census goes down we nurses start to get floated and it scares me. I feel like I have lost a lot of my med-surg knowledge and replaced it with rehab nursing knowledge. So I got floated to the ER once and I never want to go back there. I'm not trained to be an ER nurse and I was so scared and uncomfortable Can I refuse to be floated there? Will I get fired if i refuse to float there?

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Specializes in VA-BC, CRNI.

To be honest you need to start requesting to be floated to the ED. If that is the area that scares you the most then that is the area you need the most experience.

It is scary but remember, you are minimally competent to work on any floor in the hospital. Use the knowledge and experience you already have and apply it to your current working conditions.

I hated.....HATED Foleys on women. I know its easy and stupid but my fear paralized my skill sets. Sooo I took every single chance I had to place them. Now I can throw the catheter like a dart across the room, bounce it off a table and get you in your special spot all the while drinking a cup of coffee.

Seriously, take this oppurtunity to develop and grow your skill sets. Often times the depts you hate the most and the depts you NEED to work in. Your career and pts will thank you.

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Now I can throw the catheter like a dart across the room, bounce it off a table and get you in your special spot all the while drinking a cup of coffee.

That's one heck of a catheter insertion! :lol2:

I agree, as scary as it is, the more you float, the more you learn... I am attempting to get back into nursing after a 4 year leave, and the only thing I DO know is med-surg, which is the one place I don't want to return! I feel that if I had floated more often, I would be better prepared to apply for other areas.

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Specializes in Geriatrics and Quality Improvement,.
I have been working as an RN on an acute inpatient medical rehab floor for almost 2 year. Its the first nursing job I have had and most days I love it!!! What scares me is when the census goes down we nurses start to get floated and it scares me. I feel like I have lost a lot of my med-surg knowledge and replaced it with rehab nursing knowledge. So I got floated to the ER once and I never want to go back there. I'm not trained to be an ER nurse and I was so scared and uncomfortable Can I refuse to be floated there? Will I get fired if i refuse to float there?

I agree with everyones post, floating is learning.

I worked with another RN who loved my floor, loved the convience of everything, and felt totally disorganized when asked to float.

She decided the best way to get over it, was to float. As a PT nurse, she only had to float 1x every 2 weeks. She came in extra days, she asked the other nurses if she could observe their unit for a little bit before being floated there the next day etc. She was proactive.

The best thing she did was TELL HER NURSE MANAGER.

That puts people on your side. The team worked with the nurse to help alleviate the fears, and TA DAA... she can handle everything.

A year later when I left that unit, she was better prepared for all opportunities that came to her. That means advancement!

So my adivice, FLOAT, it widens your perspective, and opens doors for all nurses.

And smile.

:nurse:

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