Critical Care Float Pool

[DesertSky, BSN]

I was recently offered a FT critical care float pool position. I am an experienced critical care nurse with ICU experience in cardiac, med/surg, and trauma ICU's. I have some experience with neuro from working trauma, but it's not my favorite.

I would float between all the ICU's (med/surg, cardiac, trauma, and neuro) based on need. It would require 3 12 hour shifts similar to a FT ICU position. The pay is very generous and I think I would enjoy the variety of floating between the ICU's instead of staying in a specific unit.

However, I have a few concerns. For those who have done float pool work, are you often stuck the the less desirable patients such as all of the isolation/cdiff, difficult family members, detoxing, confused, etc. patients? Or does it seem like most units treat you fairly and welcome the help?

I would appreciate any personal experience or advice you can share!

Thanks!

[Sour Lemon]

I work per diem and float among a few units. I feel I am treated very fairly. I've also worked on units where unfamiliar nurses were given slightly heavier assignments ...not to dump on them, but to leave regular staff more available to help with the things only they knew how to do.

It seems like agency nurses probably get the worst assignments, if anyone does. They may or may not ever return, and people tend to feel little sense of comradery with them. I've gotten to know many of the nurses on the units I float to regularly and feel like an integrated part of the team.

[RNperdiem, RN]

In my experience, they gave me very good assignments and were very helpful.

Floats tend to be given simpler, more "generalized" types of patients- pneumonia, failure to wean, and almost anyone ready to transfer out rather than fresh trauma admissions, balloon pumps or anyone really unstable.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

​We have a critical care float pool in my hospital that we utilize a lot, and I really like the float nurses...they're awesome. I considered it but the one thing I really couldn't stand is that they seem to have to change units every four hours. I don't know about you but when I take over a patient I like to know exactly what's going on, do a full assessment, change dressings, bathe them and make sure everything is followed up. Usually I feel like I'm getting caught up after about 8 or 9 hours in a shift and if I had to do that 3 times a shift I'd lose my mind. There's just way too much going on, and way too much to get to grips with in 4 hours just to change assignments and units again. Nope...give me my two patients and let me fly for 12 hours. I know we get admissions and post ops but still....I would just hate having to give or receive report up to 5 times a day. No thanks. I think they're abused to some extent, and they never get the really interesting acute patients which I really enjoy taking care of.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I have floated, both as agency and as a staff member. I got stuck with the more difficult assignments, only as agency. As Rocknurse said, being pulled during your shift is VERY difficult. Find out if you would be jacked around like that.

Best of luck with your decision.

[DesertSky, BSN]

I have floated, both as agency and as a staff member. I got stuck with the more difficult assignments, only as agency. As Rocknurse said, being pulled during your shift is VERY difficult. Find out if you would be jacked around like that.

Best of luck with your decision.

Good advice- I will clarify if I can expect to be pulled during shifts, or if my daily assignments will be to the specific ICU unit for the full shift. I appreciate the advice!

[DesertSky, BSN]

​We have a critical care float pool in my hospital that we utilize a lot, and I really like the float nurses...they're awesome. I considered it but the one thing I really couldn't stand is that they seem to have to change units every four hours. I don't know about you but when I take over a patient I like to know exactly what's going on, do a full assessment, change dressings, bathe them and make sure everything is followed up. Usually I feel like I'm getting caught up after about 8 or 9 hours in a shift and if I had to do that 3 times a shift I'd lose my mind. There's just way too much going on, and way too much to get to grips with in 4 hours just to change assignments and units again. Nope...give me my two patients and let me fly for 12 hours. I know we get admissions and post ops but still....I would just hate having to give or receive report up to 5 times a day. No thanks. I think they're abused to some extent, and they never get the really interesting acute patients which I really enjoy taking care of.

Thanks for sharing. I can totally see how float pool nurses don't routinely get the sickest and highest acuity patients. It is part of my concern about taking the position. I enjoy the challenge of a high acuity patient and would find myself frustrated and bored if the only patients I got were the "stable" ICU patients who routinely get downgraded or moved out to the floor the next day.

I will clarify in the interview about how often I can expect to get new assignments over the course of a 12 hour shift. Thanks for the great advice!

[DesertSky, BSN]

I work per diem and float among a few units. I feel I am treated very fairly. I've also worked on units where unfamiliar nurses were given slightly heavier assignments ...not to dump on them, but to leave regular staff more available to help with the things only they knew how to do.

It seems like agency nurses probably get the worst assignments, if anyone does. They may or may not ever return, and people tend to feel little sense of comradery with them. I've gotten to know many of the nurses on the units I float to regularly and feel like an integrated part of the team.

I'm glad to hear you enjoy working as a float nurse! I assumed float RN's would hopefully be treated better than agency nurses as you can expect to see hospital float RN's routinely especially if the unit is routinely short staffed, but I appreciate you sharing your experience with assignments.