Float Pool

I'm sure many of you experienced nurses have started or at some point worked float pool - what's it like? Is it really difficult?

I like floating and it's been said before and I will say it again. I wouldn't recommend a new grad starting in a float position. Impossible? No, but extremely hard.

Cons: I've been a nurse for 5 years and in healthcare for 13 and I have days that I almost cry because I have such a a terrible shift. But then the tears dry up because I know I won't be back the next day. We are expected to hit the ground running. A lot of times no one shows me where anything is located. I spend a lot of time trying to find things. I have crappy assignments and the most patients. There is some resentment because I make double than a staff nurse. I never know anyone so I don't really talk to people unless I have too. But I'm introverted so that's ok I usually don't want to talk anyway.

Pros: I have a very flexible schedule. I don't have to work weekends or holidays if I don't want too. I haven't worked Christmas or thanksgiving for the last 3 years. I literally learn something new everyday. Since I have a lot of experience everywhere people always ask me questions about different things. I don't mind because I like to share what I've learned with people. And the best thing of all is I am not involved with the floor drama and politics.

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As much as I loathed being floated out of my home unit, I know I could never do float full time. It strikes a fear and anxiety in me that I don't normally have at work.

The last hospital I worked at expected us to float to any unit in the hospital (except ER) with zero orientation to any of the units.

This may not be a big deal floating from one med-surg unit to another, but I was a NICU nurse being asked to float to areas completely foreign to me (I had done nothing but NICU for 20 years!)

It is the reason I resigned from the hospital. It is a shame because I actually loved my job. But I wasn't willing to put my license on the line being floated places I where I was not comfortable.

Having said that...I admire anyonw who can do float. I think I'd just be fighting twars every time I worked if I had to do it!

Good grief...sorry about the typos. They need to give us more time to edit our posts!!

I am getting the distinct impression that being in the float pool as a new grad is not ideal, but those are the cards I've been dealt. I am in a formal new grad program, so hopefully there will be a recognition that starting out in the float pool is difficult, and may require additional support. Does anyone have any pointers as to how work as a floater as a new graduate? I've been in a SNF on both sub-acute (15-20 patients) and long-term (20-30 patients) floors for the last year, but I keep hearing that that will be of no benefit.

You're considered a new grad after a year of experience?

I've asked the floats at my hospital and most of them like it because of things that other posters mentioned - lots of variability, not getting involved in unit politics, learning tons of different skills, etc. However they also mentioned that they tend to get abused - getting double-floated in an 8 hour shift, or triple-floated in a 12. The supervisors & managers have gotten better about that though.

The job posting was oddly written: It specified that it was a new graduate program, required a BSN, but also stated experience required. I assumed that that was a misprint. However, it appears that most all of us in the cohort have some nursing experience, albeit not in acute care.

You're considered a new grad after a year of experience?

thanks for your input...for me its sort of a means to an end - it gets me back into the hospital I want to work in - I'm on orientation in another hospital but the commute is brutal - I'll take just about anything to get back to where I want (I've worked there as an aide) and the floats (from what I've seen) are treated ok...