SICU RN's floated to nursery

Jolie, BSN · Feb 15, 2006

What does your Infection Control Nurse say about this practice?

What does Risk Management say about this practice? Not only is it an infection control issue, but there is the potential for medical-legal issues as well, since I assume that your ICU staff is not NRP certified. (Just as nursery staff is not ACLS certified.)

How about getting the pediatricians on board?

If all else fails, let the parents know that you were floated from an adult ICU where serious, difficult-to-treat infections are common. They just may refuse to allow you to care for their newborn infant.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2006

Very good point about the NRP certification. Not only is there the risk of transmitting "bugs" to the babies, but then there is the fact that it's unsafe to have adult trained nurses staffing the nursery. These babies are not always healthy, and sometimes when they crump, they crump FAST. I know that it would be unsafe to float a nursery nurse to SICU, so why not the other way around?

I was under the impression that most hospitals try to float nurses to similar units. Adult floors to adult floors. ICUs to ICUs. Maternal-child only amongst themselves, etc. I know for a fact that I would have a nervous breakdown if I had to float to an adult ICU!

:uhoh3:

dorimar, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2006

LOL.... staff (staph). More importantly is the knowledge defecit. I wouldn't have a clue how to take care of an infant (aside from basic parental care). Serioulsy what are the normal vital signs for an infant... Don't answer because i don't care (I TAKE CARE OF ADULTS). Totally and completely UNACCEPTABLE. I have to add that you can be held liable for accepting an assignment that you shouldn't have. The answer is to REFUSE.

elizadream · Feb 22, 2006

Thank you for your guidance!! I called our ID officer and she screeched on the phone when I told her about this situation (she had no idea).:angryfire

This has happened several weekend shifts only and the nurses who work these shifts are on the WOW (work only weekends) program-they make 15.00 + reg. weekend shift diff per hour+hourly wage. If they were cancelled they were optioned to work in the nursery or lose their time($$$$$).

What about the Respiratory Therapists who are now required to go stabilize infants in the birth suites? They are the same ones who come back up to our MRSA/VRE infected adult patients in ICU and give them care? The birth suite is the money making aspect of our hospital yet it seems they are trying to cut costs in an area that usually has the best insurance coverage and the most precious lives!!

babynurselsa, RN · Feb 22, 2006

To many staffing offices anurse is a nurse is a nurse.......

You are a warm body filling a shortage in another area they either do not know or care that you may not know WTF you are doing right?

And I am soooooo sure that they will go to prison for you or at least pay off the settlement if something really bad happens too..........

If they are going to offer some orientation and training it would be one thing but just floating you is not wise.

working4aBSN · Feb 22, 2006

I work ICU also and just recently started at a new facility. I was told that when we float we float where ever we are needed. This included ER, Psych, and OB. I do not feel comfortable about any of these areas. In most hospital these areas are considered closed units. The only fortunate thing is that this ICU is usually really busy so therefore there is not a lot of floating. I know that I could do the nursery if I had to but I do not know anything about ER or Psych. I really would not want to float to the psych floor because that is the one area of nursing I truely hate. I think it takes a special nurse to be a psych nurse and I am just not that special so I can feel your pain on floating to areas that nurses are not trained in.