Pros
- Co-workers (or what's left of them) : Supportive, encouraging and will always help you in time of need. With the floor almost always being understaffed, you will develop a sense of teamwork and bond.
Cons
- Education: Prepare to self-learn. Nurse residency program is useless. The only thing they do to encourage to extend your knowledge is tell you to complete the yearly CBT required modules. - Self-scheduling: Great concept, but basically USELESS when your preferred shifts are modified due to the floor ALWAYS being understaffed. The floor is 80% travel/float nurses, while all the senior RN's have been let-go for vindictive reasons. NCP's schedules are changed without notice or communication. RN's are constantly pressured to pick-up OT to make-up for the high turn-over rate caused by management. - New grads are oriented by new nurses who have less than 2yr experience or straight out of orientation...no comment. - The floor is under-staffed always but expect unrealistic job expectations. (ex. 1:7 pt ratio with ZERO techs, yet they expect everyone to be dry and clean by morning, drop everything and run to every bed alarm, have all your labs and vitals done by yourself, turn and reposition all your total pts while still maintaining to do a NCP/RN job duties, etc.) *** High-turn over rate: People can't make it past the 1st three months off orientation. Work environment isn't ideal, new NCP's have been thrown into the 50-bed floor to work by themselves on the first weeks of their solo schedule. Some have even been thrown in without the guidance of their preceptor. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM WHEN THEY TELL YOU THE RATIO IS 5-6 PATIENTS PER NURSE. IT IS A LIE. YOU WILL HAVE 7-8 PATIENTS AND AT TIMES WITHOUT A NCP/TECH SUPPORT. CHARGE RN's ARE RUNNING WITH 7 PATIENTS. THIS IS THE NORM. - Career Opportunities and advancement: Some will flat-out tell you that you're unqualified and not ready to transition to a different unit because of desperation to keep you on the floor. An employee was held for 5 months prior to transitioning, who's had years of experience and was told they "aren't ready." Will go behind your back and try to ruin your chances before you can transfer out. - Favoritism / Racism: There is a certain preference and if you fit it, you will survive on this floor. You will have your choices heard and followed and you can practically get away with anything while someone less favorable gets thrown under the bus for you.
