Float Nursing and new grads

[Fiducia78]

Hey all, I finally got a job after six months! I never thought that the day would come. My question for all my fellow RNs is, was it wise to choose to be a float right off the bat? I am scared as it is because I feel like I forgot everything I learned in school. The hospital that I am going to be working in is pretty stocked on Med-surg nurses on the 7p-7a shift, so I would be mainly going to the detox or psych floor, with ER sprinkled in. I am so scared that I made the wrong choice. In two weeks I will finally get to start with a preceptor. ( I am in the classroom orientation now.) Any advice because my confidence is surely gonna be tested. Thanks all.

[southernbelle08]

Well this is just my opinion.

I would never float right off the bat. I don't think my current hospital allows you to be a float nurse until you have had 1 year of experience in a certain area. Now that is not to say it won't work for you. I, personally, just wouldn't feel comfortable. I have a friend who would probably love that and do very well with it. When I came out of orientation on my floor, I started floating to other floors that were short on staff every so often. It was basically just other Med-Surg areas though. Once I floated to an Acute Cardiac floor.

Good luck to you and I hope that you do well! Everyone has their own experience, so don't judge yourself by what others say. :)

[squee-gee]

I started as a new grad last August, went through orientation and my preceptorship, and was on my own by mid-November. Although the hospital had a policy about not floating new grads, the medsurg floor I was hired for closed in January, so I ended up in the float pool anyway. It hasn't been as bad or as scary as I thought it would. Everyone has been very supportive and the nursing supervisors are very protective of all the new grads who ended up in the pool. I was trained on a GI/GU surgical floor, but now I'm getting experience on heavy medical floors, ortho surgeries and telemetry. I even worked in the ED last night. I know they are planning to have us orient in the ICU as well. Although I wished I had more general experience as a nurse before I was thrown into the float pool, I know in the long run working as a float will broaden the scope of my practice and look good on my resume. As long as you have the support of the supervisors, and everyone knows you are a new grad, you should be fine - enjoy the diversity! Also...in this economy, I'm just happy to have a position at all!

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

I wouldn't do float pool without a LOT of m/s experience.

I'm NICU, so I wouldn't do it now ever because I know pretty much nothing about adults.

[Galore]

I would be hesitant about starting off in float pool right off the bat, but I feel like I'm definitely not quick to pick up new stuff and I'm not comfortable with tons of unfamilar stuff. The floors you mentioned you will mainly be going to seem pretty intense. New grads on my unit aren't even allowed to float for the first 6 months. I feel like it would be challenging learning the protocols for all the different units, but if you can handle it, I'm sure it will reatly enhance your skills and versatility as a nurse.

[newgrad82]

CONGRATS ON THE JOB!!!! Just focus on how much you are going to learn and how you can put this experience toward what you want to do in the future. I just hit the 6 month mark for looking for a job and would LOVE to have one, even in a float pool!!