I am on my first travel assignment (since 2000). There is only one unit where I am at, that does team nursing. I'm not sure why or how this particular unit can get by with doing this type of nursing, since it's the only unit in the hospital that does it (500+beds). The reason (I was told) that this unit does team nursing, is because the nurses are afraid of change. There are a couple of nurses that have been there for many years. Anyway, here is my experience:
The first night I worked on this unit, I was told that I would function as a PSA (or whatever they call CNA's here in Texas). I looked at the charge nurse and said "You do know that I'm a RN". She said that she did...so report started, and I'm sitting there because for the past sixteen years of being a RN, I have listened to report. The charge nurse turned off the recorder and told me that I didn't have to listen to report, that I would get my report from someone else. I left the room, and literally (and several times that shift) had to bite my tongue from saying or doing anything stupid. The person that gave me report was a LVN (in Ohio, we call them LPN's). I asked her right out, if she minded not being able to work as a LPN. She looked at me like I was crazy...so I proceeded to do my VS for 11 patients. It was VERY difficult to go into a patients room and function solely as a CNA. I found myself asking questions that nurses normally ask a patient during an assessment, etc.,., NOW, DON'T GET ME WRONG..........I'm not above doing VS, emptying trash, doing I&O's etc...but when you haven't done it since BEFORE you became a RN, it was very difficult. I have floated to this floor twice so far. The second time was last week. It seemed like I was 'dumped' on by the other RN I was with. Nothing was explained or discused up front between me and this nurse, as to what our (or I should say MY) role was in taking care of these patients for the night.
Anyway, anyone have any thoughts on this topic, please share.
