Float Pool?

[AwesomeNiks]

Hey, everyone! I'm a new RN, and I see quite a few openings about floating. I've seen so many different opinions, I just want to see what everyone has to say.

There is an opening I want to apply to that says Nursery float. It makes it sound like floating between Nursery and NICU, but I'm not sure.

Would floating be a good idea as a new nurse?

Also, since this floating is a narrower scope, would it be better?

What are the pros and cons to floating, in general?

Thanks for all of the help and advice! I'm not really sure what to do. In the area I live in, it's hard to get a nursing position without experience. I've applied for about 70 jobs, and still no luck. So that's why I'm considering applying for a float position.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Nicole :)

[Nurseinprocess]

You could apply, but will you get hired with no experience? Where I work my unit is staffed pretty well and other units take our nurses routinely to cover their own staffing. I have only been working as a RN for about 3 months and I am dreading the first time I get floated (which happens 5 months after hire date). I work on a surgical unit (pts are post surgery) and I am shaking in my boots worrying about getting floated to a cardiac unit or a neuro unit where the pts are much more acute than I am comfortable with as a new nurse. If you have the requirements for the job you are considering I would apply, because the worst that can happen is you don't get a phone call.

[llteddybear]

I currently work as a CNA in the float pool. Since I passed in Mar. my manager stated that she would not hire a new RN since it is harder than just working on one floor.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

You can always try it. A lot of hospitals want experience in their float pool, but if they're willing to bring you on AND orient you properly, I can't see why it would be a bad decision. When I started up as a CNA I was a float. I never worked the same floor 2 days in a row. Sure, it was stressful, but as a result of the floating I was able to try out a lot of different units. When I graduated school I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do and went right into my specialty. As an RN, I have done my share of floating. Once I moved to Nursery & NICU, I was rarely floated out of there unless it was to fill in on peds. Never again went to an adult floor.

I say, if you like neonates go for it. What's the worse thing they can say? No? Good luck!

[StayLost, BSN, RN]

I highly doubt that any hospital will hire a new RN for a float pool position. Float pool nurses are always highly experienced clinical experts.

For instance, I work in the CCU. If you put one of the nurses from my ICU in, lets say the Surgical ICU for the day, it would be a train wreck. We have totally different patients populations that require different treatments & different skill sets--we NEVER take care of post-op surgical pt's. Thee ICU pool nurses are competent to take any assignment in any ICU or stepdown unit, and for some the ED.

This is not just the ICU, but in any level of care.