New Grad Float Pool

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · May 17, 2011

yikes without any real floor experience that is a big task. My hope is that they will keep you on one floor at a time until you get your bearings and the progressively add other specialties. Good luck!

CrazyGoonRN · May 19, 2011

I am a new nurse and have been working PRN at a nursing home for about 2 months. I get full time hours just about every week. As of yesterday I have worked every hall in the building (12 halls total). Each hall and floor has a "speciality". I love being PRN because I have learned a ton of skills. All the tube feedings are on the same hall so after a couple of shifts on that hall I feel confident in my abilities. All the pts who have dementia and are elopment risks are on the same hall so I learned real fast how to deal with them after 1 shift on that hall. Pts who are just there for rehab are grouped together also so I have learned PICC lines, IV medication adminstration(I knew very little about before working it), trach's, g-tubes, j-tubes, peg tubes, foleys, In and Out caths, etc... When working a new hall If I have a question then I just ask and make sure they know that I have never worked this hall and that I want to make sure I am doing everything right. I havn't run into a nurse yet who is unwilling to help me do things right. I just make sure I don't burn any bridges when asking for help or take advantage of other nurses. I try to figure things out before I ask unless I am totally clueless or unsure then I ask for help. I also take notes when being taught something. I really don't want to go back and ask someone the same thing over and over again. If you are overwhelmed then ask for help. Eventually you will get the hang of it. I love that I have learned to be flexable as a nurse. It has also been great for me because I tend to be shy and now I know most people in the building :) And when I go back to RN school I will have a ton of valuable skills that will help me with school :) Good luck to you!!

NurseVoldemort, BSN, RN · May 19, 2011

Hello! I have been looking at this site almost daily for the past year and love it! It is so helpful! Anyways, I graduated in May 2010 and have been working at a busy family practice clinic for 10 months. I recently got hired as a float pool nurse in a small hospital and will float to medical/oncology, surgical, PCU and gynecology units. I have heard that it may be difficult being a new grad (in a hospital and floating). I was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice as I begin my new job. I am super excited but nervous!

My first (and still only job) has been as a float pool nurse at a 260+ bed facility and I LOVE IT!! I get SO board with repetition and this has really been the only thing that keeps me interested and on my toes! You definatly do need to feel confident about yourself, but I also got 3-7 days on each unit I would float to as orientation.

Since I started I have been expected to float to all the units you listed plus psych, urology, pediatrics, and mother/baby. But I really love the variety I get from it, learning ALL specialties! Plus I get to know ALL the staff from ALL over the hospital, It's great! (especially when I have an inpt family memeber cause no matter what floor they are on, I know the nurse caring for them!)

I was once told that if you aren't nervous that you don't care enough! So have fun, learn a lot, and just don't forget to ask for help when you need it because everyone does at sometime!

firecali · Jan 18, 2014

I just got hired as a new grad for float pool at UCSF. I was wondering if you know of any good books to carry with me since I am scared I will not know all of the medications on each of the 15 floors or the specific assessments or procedures. Also any advice would help. Thanks in advance.

NurseVoldemort, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2014

The hospital I worked at had computerized charting and the computers all had micromedex for med information and compatability, and the charge nurse was always a good resource for floor specific questions. So I didn't carry any books w me. I was very nervous at first but I found that I just trusted myself to ask for help when needed and relied on my education and everything went fine! Good luck!