Bates, K. J. (2013). Floating as a reality: helping nursing staff keep their heads above water. MedSurg Nursing, (3). 197.
This article analyzes the problems that nurses’ face when they have to leave their usual work environment to float to another unit. While float nurses are great help, the change that they have to deal with can be very stressful, especially when the nurse do not have much experience. The author explained that nurses that float to other units experience fretfulness, their productivity decreased considerably, and they have poor time management since they spend considerable amount of their time trying to familiarize themselves with the new environment. This article is unique because it provides information that can help float
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I had a positive attitude about the whole experience, I wanted to get out of my unit. I arrive to the other floor smiling and happy to meet new people. I make sure I help people around if they needed help and ask politely for their help when I was in need. I analyzed some nurses that get floated to my unit and some of them will start crying at the door. They have not event looked at the assignment yet. They get so upset that they are floated that it makes the whole day a challenge.I think your attitude and how flexible you are is crucial. If you make an effort to fit in, someone will meet you half way. In the article Staffing Patterns of Scheduled Unit Staff Nurses vs. Float Pool Nurses the author conduct a study on how the float nurses are assigned patients. The result of the study was as followed: “The mean acuity for float pool nurses was 13.92, while the mean acuity for unit staff nurses was 13.18, a 0.73 difference (p=0.47). Higher numbers meant higher acuity. The mean of patient flow was 15.13 (float pool nurses) and 14.12 (unit staff nurses), a 1.01 difference (p=0.38)” (Larson, Sendelbach, Missal, Fliss, & Gaillard, 2012, p. 29). In conclusion the author explained that it seems that float nurses have a heavier load in patient care but when comparing the numbers there is not much differences between a regular nurse and a float …show more content…
According to Linzer, Tilley, & Williamson, 2011, creating a float pool where new nurses can be trained in different area is cost effective for the hospital and have better result. The float nurse are more flexible and usually like the fact that they can go to different departments and gather more experiences (Shinners, 2016 p. 2).Creating a float pool consisting of new graduate nurses that are specifically trained to be float nurses is also another option that is being
The Beginning Stages of the Writing and Publication Process: Matching the Topic to the Journal
Alexandria Casap is a registered nurse employed as a float nurse at South Nassau Community Hospital in Long Island, New York. She has been participating in clinicals at various hospitals in New York for three years to gain experience. This past year she received her first job after passing the exam boards. Being a float nurse allows Ms. Casap to increase her experience because the profession requires moving around to different specialties each day depending on what floor requests the greatest help. Being a float nurse is very interesting to Ms. Casap because she experiences something diverse every day; some days she will assist in delivering babies while others she can be in the emergency room contributing to trauma. Being a float nurse requires
Identifying and maintaining the appropriate number of mixed nursing staff, RN/LPN/CNA, is critical to the delivery of quality patient care. Many studies reveal an association between a higher level of experienced RN staffing and lower rates of adverse patient outcomes (“Nurse staffing plans,” 2013). The nurse-patient ratios will in turn improve the nurses working conditions, decreasing the risk of errors to patients.
Current literature continues to reiterate the indicators of a major shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. The total RN population has been increasing since 1980, which means that we have more RNs in this country than ever before (Nursing Shortage). Even though the RN population is increasing, it is growing at a much slower rate then when compared to the rate of growth of the U.S. population (Nursing Shortage). We are seeing less skilled nurses “at a time of an increasingly aging population with complex care needs and an increasingly complex technological care environment” (Mion). According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Health and Human Services, it is estimated that “more than a million new and replacement nurses will be needed over the next decade” (Diagnosis: Critical).
In spite of the shortage among nurses, there are number of options and recommendations that can better help to maintain an adequate staff level and provide greater strategies needed to increase nursing. The choices open to cover for insufficient staff range from reallocating and postponing work, relocating staff within unit or from other units, to employing temporary additional nurses according to Buchan and Seccombe (1995). In health care, some of these options may not be available because ...
This career can not just be found in any city because nurses do not need to go to school in the same city they want to work in. This job is done inside. The job benefits of being a nurse is that you will make a difference, the work can be diverse and interesting, you can work with flexibility. Some job drawbacks are that you can consume germs and viruses, sometimes it can be overwhelming, patients may not appreciate your work, you may have to work for the holidays, see bad situations, and you can get a bad headache. I hope you choose to make a difference and become a nurse!
According to Good & Bishop, (2011) float nurses often are used to offset the effects of staffing shortages, changes in hospital census, and struggling budgets. Whether using permanent staff or established pools, floating can reduce overtime costs and use of expensive agency staff Unfortunately, floating is a sensitive issue to nurses, many of whom describe it as a frustrating and anxiety provoking experience ( as cited in Bates, 2013). However, nurses can do many things to make floating a better experience, such as maintaining a positive attitude, staying abreast of clinical skills, and working within their scope of practice. Unfortunately, the expectation often may be that the float nurse takes sole responsibility for his or her success in each new work environment, including addressing areas of concern, asking for assistance, and verbalizing feelings of discomfort (Bates, 2013). Because floating affects everyone — individual nurse, co-workers, patients —ensuring a successful experience becomes a shared responsibility. Providing the float nurse with necessary resources and assistance, as well as maintaining lines of communication and encouraging feedback, can make floating a more positive experience (Bates, K. J. 2013). Even as a new graduate nurse, I found myself floating 6 months after orientation without training to other units. These experiences were both challenging and frustrating, as I spent much of my time
The prolonged shortage of skilled nursing personnel has been a serious concern to the healthcare industry, and this shortage has impacted the quality of care delivery. In addition, nursing turnover has also exacerbated the problem of nursing shortage. Nursing shortage has been blamed on many nurses retiring and less younger nurses joining the occupation. There is also an increase in life expectancy (baby boomers) leading an increase in both physical and mental ailment with subsequent demand in nursing care. Nurses are also leaving nursing profession because of inadequate staffing, tense work environment, negative press about the profession, and inflexible work schedules. Even though nursing is a promising career and offers job security, the
Thousands of nurses throughout the nation are exhausted and overwhelmed due to their heavy workload. The administrators do not staff the units properly; therefore, they give each nurse more patients to care for to compensate for the lack of staff. There are several reasons to why
The development of knowledge requires a number of processes in order to establish credible data to ensure the validity and appropriateness of how it can be used in the future. For the healthcare industry, this has provided the ability to create and form new types of interventions in order to give adequate care across a of number of fields within the system. Research then, has been an essential part in providing definitive data, either by disproving previous beliefs or confirming newly found data and methods. Moreover, research in itself contains its own process with a methodological approach. Of the notable methods, quantitative research is often used for its systemic approach (Polit & Beck, 2006). Thus, the use of the scientific method is used, which also utilizes the use of numerical data (Polit & Beck). Here, researches make use of creating surveys, scales, or placing a numerical value on it subjects (Polit & Beck). In the end the resulting data is neutral and statistical. However, like all things its approach is not perfect, yet, it has the ability to yield valuable data.
traveling nurses may be expected to float throughout the hospital as well as the night and
“Advances in medicine and agriculture have saved vastly more lives than have been lost in all the wars in history” -Carl Sagan (nursingschools.net). It’s difficult to become a nurse practitioner. Before entering this field, you must take high school courses that can benefit a person interested in becoming a health care provider. It may still take many years of college and training to earn a base salary. Even though there is room for advancement, this also takes many years of practice and experience. After all the training and experience has been fulfilled, the outlook for this career is encouraging. Looking at a usual day as a health care provider, shows there is much to master and a lot to comprehend before entering the workforce.
What is the central component of advanced practice nurses (APNs) direct clinical practice and patient/families?
Nurses Joe and Sarah have been working in a medical surgical unit that has been experiencing a nursing shortage, which has led to an increase in the workload. Sarah has been feeling the physical effects of the stress and feels there is a lack of management support, while Joe experiences some feelings of being overwhelmed, but tries to use it as learning experiences. Joe has developed positive methods of coping, while Sarah is quickly heading towards burnout. Implications and Conclusions The information provided in the literature has great implications for practice in many units, including the writers. It is with great hopes that the research published can be presented to the committees on the unit in hopes that some of the workloads can be decreased to help with staffing and retention rates.
The interdisciplinary course is a core requirement in the after-degree nursing program as it incorporates the principles of self-directed learning and promotes critical thinking, which is an essential element in nursing practice. As a final year nursing student, I believe that knowledge from this course will enhance my ability to provide patient-centered care.