Nurse C, a nurse with 20 years of OB-GYN experience, was asked to float to the ER. She refused. Was she correct in this decision and why?

Question

a. She was correct because if she did this once she may be expected to float on a regular basis.
b. She was incorrect because she felt she had enough seniority to not have to float.
c. She was incorrect because she just did not want to float.
d. She was correct because with her lack of experience in the ER, she felt she could not safely care for her patients.

Answer 1

D
Sometimes, nurses may find themselves in conflict with their health care facility's expectations and the standard of care. Being asked to float to another unit, particularly a specialized one such as the ER, when one has no experience in that area can put patients at risk and can place their safety in jeopardy. By refusing to float to this unit, the experienced OB-GYN nurse is advocating for the ER patient's rights and safety. When refusing to comply with a request or assignment such as this, the nurse would be wise to work through the health care facility's chain of command and to notify her supervisor of her patient safety concerns. In addition, nurses should be aware whether the individual contract they signed with the facility designates criteria for floating to another location or unit.