Floating. Nurses required to float within the Medical Center inpatient or outpatient settings will receive adequate orientation. Appropriate resources will be available as follows:
Floating. The Employer retains the right to float employees on a shift by shift basis to meet patient care and departmental needs. Floating is defined as:
Floating. Unless agreed otherwise between the Employer and the employees in a particular department, the Employer shall make float assignments to other departments in the following order: (1) qualified designated float employees; (2) qualified relief and temporary employees on duty; and (3) qualified regular employees in reverse order of seniority from the applicable department, except that new employees in their probationary period will not be floated during their first twelve (12) shifts worked. For purposes of float assignments, Patient Team Supports shall be considered to be in the same classification as CNAs unless the staffing needs of a department require otherwise.
Floating. A. All nurses on a unit may be required to float to another unit in the Medical Center, although the Medical Center will endeavor to minimize floating when reasonably feasible. When the Medical Center determines that floating is needed:
Floating. The hospital retains the right to change the nurse’s daily work assignment on a shift-by-shift basis to meet patient care needs. Nurses required to float to a different unit will receive orientation to the unit which is appropriate to the assignment. Orientation will be dependent upon the nurse’s previous experience and familiarity with the unit to which such nurse is assigned. Floating assignments shall be made by seeking volunteers first and then on an equitable basis consistent with the hospital’s needs, nurse’s experience and level of assignment. A resource nurse will be identified for a nurse floating to an unfamiliar unit, so that the floating nurse has someone with whom to consult for specific questions throughout the shift. A nurse floated outside his/her regular unit will not be assigned an independent patient care assignment, until such time as the nurse is fully oriented to the unit. Nurses will not be required to float outside their primary unit more than once per shift. Nurses will be expected to perform all basic nursing functions but will not be required to perform tasks or procedures for which they are not qualified or trained to perform. If during the floating assignment the nurse is asked to perform a task or procedure for which the nurse does not feel qualified or trained to perform, the nurse should immediately discuss the matter with the resource nurse. If the issue remains unresolved, the nurse should discuss the issue with the supervisor. If the issue remains unresolved, the nurse may record the fact in writing that these conversations took place and indicate the results of the conversations. Requests for orientation to other units as a float nurse (not a primary) may be granted when scheduling permits and the nurse agrees to work in the new unit in the future to maintain his/her skills in that area. Orientation as a float nurse to other units requires at least eight (8) hours of orientation with completion of any required checklists at least annually. The float nurse agrees to keep his/her new skills current by floating to the other unit at least once every three (3) months, as the schedule permits.
Floating. (A) The University will make its best efforts to minimize floating within the term of this contract. In the event that it becomes necessary for an employee to be assigned, on a shift-by-shift basis, to another unit, nursing management shall ensure that patient care assignments shall be within the educational and skill level of the assigned/floated nurse. The University shall utilize the following guidelines when floating/assigning nurses:
Floating. A certified nursing assistant (C.N.A), Patient Team Support, or Unit Coordinator who is scheduled to work on his/her assigned unit may be required to float to any other nursing unit. The above shall receive float assignments consistent with their skills, competencies and the patient population to which they are oriented. Among those employees who are competent to float shall be floated in the following order:
Floating. The Employer retains the right to change the employee’s daily work assignment to meet patient care needs. Employees will not be required to perform tasks or procedures for which they have not been currently trained. In consultation with unit preceptors and employees regularly assigned to the unit, managers will develop unit specific orientation tools to be used by employees floated into the unit. Employees will only be floated to those areas where they have received adequate orientation, except in cases of emergency. The Employer will notify employees as far in advance as possible if they are to be floated to another work area. Employees will not be required to float to more than one (1) work unit per shift, except in cases of emergency. Efforts shall be made to return a floated employee to the floated employee’s regularly assigned unit rather than replace the employee with another float. At the request of the employee or union, the parties shall meet to discuss and problem solve any situation where an employee in a Specialty Center or location with multiple Primary Care units is floated out of their unit for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of their shifts over a three (3) month period.
Floating. The Employer retains the right to change the nurse’s daily work assignment on a shift-by-shift basis to meet patient care needs. Nurses required to float to a different unit will receive orientation to the unit which is appropriate to the assignment. Orientation will be dependent upon the nurse’s previous experience and familiarity with the nursing unit to which such nurse is assigned. A resource nurse will be identified for a nurse floating to an unfamiliar unit, so that the floating nurse has someone with whom to consult for specific questions throughout the shift. Nurses will be expected to perform all basic nursing functions but will not be required to perform tasks or procedures specifically applicable to the nursing unit for which they are not qualified or trained to perform. If during the floating assignment the nurse is asked to perform a task or procedure for which the nurse does not feel qualified or trained to perform, the nurse should immediately discuss the matter with the resource nurse. If the issue remains unresolved, the nurse should discuss the issue with the immediate supervisor, if available. If the issue is still not resolved the nurse should contact the house supervisor. If the issue remains unresolved, the nurse may record the fact in writing that these conversations took place and indicate the results of the conversations. The Employer will not assign a float nurse to a charge nurse position, unless that nurse has been oriented to that specific unit as a charge nurse.
Floating. Nurses who float will be adequately oriented and have the appropriate basic skills for the units to which they float. Volunteers will be sought first when floating is necessary. Nurses will be expected to perform all basic nursing functions but will not be required to perform tasks or procedures for which they are not qualified or trained to perform.
