transfer from PP unit to ICU/ER

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Nov 24, 2015

Hi,
My question is can I transfer from PP unit to ICU/ER because working in either of these units has been my dream. Please do not gt me wrong here, I love mother-baby nursing as well, but i think it is time now to explore and learn more as a nurse.
I will really appreciate with advice how can make it possible and what should do for that.
I will be really thankful for any advice. :)

Your best bet would be to see if you can float to your hospital's ER and pick up shifts. That will help get your feet wet (to make sure you know that the ER is what you want to do) and will also help the ER staff get acquainted to you. That's how I got my foot into the door. Good luck!

calivianya, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2015

Just start applying! You can explain your desire to learn new things during the interview when you land one. It's a good answer for why you want to change specialties. I just had an ICU coworker successfully pass a postpartum interview with that answer.

Good luck!

sukh :), BSN, DNP, RN, APRN · Dec 11, 2015

Thank you so much for replying. I was just wondering if I ask for being floated to ER , what kind of patients will they give me, having no background in ER i am not sure how I will be able to handle this?

sukh :), BSN, DNP, RN, APRN · Dec 11, 2015

Just start applying! You can explain your desire to learn new things during the interview when you land one. It's a good answer for why you want to change specialties. I just had an ICU coworker successfully pass a postpartum interview with that answer.
Good luck!

Thank you so much, I appreciate your suggestion, but I think it is easier to go from ICU to PP but I am not sure about the vice versa ....

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Dec 13, 2015

Thank you so much for replying. I was just wondering if I ask for being floated to ER , what kind of patients will they give me, having no background in ER i am not sure how I will be able to handle this?

They will probably just have you task, such as give meds, start IVs and discharge. We had a lot of floats come to the ER and unless they've been down there before, they usually functioned as a task nurse :) If they have been there before and were okay with taking patients, we would try to give them something they were comfortable with - so for example, you might get some stable infants. We once had a >20 week pt that really had to be seen in the ER first...but we had a float from L&D and they offered to take the patient because it was right up their alley!