A medical-surgical floor nurse is asked to float to the intensive care unit (ICU) to alleviate understaffing. Which reason for refusing the assignment is legal?

The nurse can prove that she does not have knowledge of ICU practice and procedures. Floating is an acceptable legal practice used by hospitals to alleviate understaffing or overstaffing. A nurse cannot legally refuse to float unless there is a union contract which guarantees that nurses only have to work in specific areas or if the nurse can prove that he/she does not have the knowledge to perform the assigned tasks. Previous disciplinary action is not a valid reason unless the judgement expressly forbids working in the ICU. Feeling unprepared is also not a valid excuse as all nurses expected to float are required to be offered an orientation to the new unit.

A medical-surgical floor nurse is asked to float to the intensive...

Category: Management of Care
Difficulty: 4

Topics: Delegation, Prioritization and Leadership Communication & Documentation Health Care Ethics, Law, and Policy Health Care Quality

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