New Grad - Med/Surg Float position

[dragn2623]

I FINALLY landed an interview on Thurs for a Med/Surg float position in a S. Jersey Hospital. Pointers, Advice, what should I ask and what should I expect out of the interview... Please advise

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

How does working in a staffing pool work... Do you just show up the days you are scheduled and find out what floor you are needed on?

How do the majority of nurses that work on the floor treat you as a float nurse. Are they helpful or disengaged to you being there?

I have a schedule, and just show up. Occasionally I will be down-sized, and in that situation I am called 2 hrs before my shift and canceled for the whole day.

I float to med-surg, step-down, peds, and also go to ER and PACU to take care of pt's that are being admitted but awaiting beds. Pretty much every department loves to see me when I show up because since I'm there it means they won't be working short that shift. I'd like to say I have a good reputation in my hospital, as the nurses and nursing assistants frequently ask "when are you coming back to help out on our floor?" That being said, even when on a unit for the first time, I try to be a team player as much as possible.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

Hi am a new grad and landed my 1st job as a float rn in th med/surg area and its totally do-able with the right training. My facility offered me a total of 6 months training with about 2 weeks on every floor I would eventually float to. I love my job and the variety. Just remember to ask questions if your're unsure about anything and you'll do fine. I've been floating for a year now and I don't think I'll ever want to commit to just one floor. Plus staying out of the politics is great!! Good luck!! You'll do fine!

A 6 month orientation for a new grad is impressive anywhere, especially for a float position. It sounds like your hospital is training their new grad to best prepare them for floating.

[linsmirn]

A 6 month orientation for a new grad is impressive anywhere, especially for a float position. It sounds like your hospital is training their new grad to best prepare them for floating.

I was thinking the same thing, Im like 6 months, I need to work where this person works.

[dragn2623]

Im hearing such great things about new grads with float position, Im considering applying for a position. :)

I'm applying to anything and everything that I can... If I throw eneough stuff against the wall something should stick.....

[dragn2623]

So I had the interview and it went VERY well. Both HR and Nurse manager indicated to me that I was an excellent candidate and that I should be hearing something in the near future. I only interviewed with HR and the nurse manager. My interview lasted from 9:15AM - 12 PM, So I'm very positive that they are interested in me.

I would do orientation for 12 weeks and also be shadowing a float nurse while on various floors towards the end of my orientation. She had also indicated that there was another position opening up on her floor and I may be asked to consider that position as well if the Float position does not work out. The downside to that it is a night position. I told her that I would prefer days but if I was offered to the night position I would take it, I've been applying for anything and everything

Keeping my fingers crossed that everything falls into place. Thanks to everyone re: their advice and honest perspective in this string

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

our hospital hired new grads into their med/surg float last summer and hired even more new grads for it this summer. They get 2-3 weeks orientation to each med/surg floor in the hospital (there are 4)

[dragn2623]

Update: I got a call and I was offered the FT Floor position not the Float....I will officially be an RN .. I'm so happy finally after many months of searching!!!!!

[wannabecnl]

Interviewing today for a new grad float pool orientation program at the hospital where I've been doing my intensive clinicals. I'd love to work at this place and am so happy to even have gotten the interview, because I share many of the views on these float pool threads that a broad exposure to nursing care is valuable at this point. I felt in early clinical rotations that we were so intent on getting the BP cuff on the right way or calculating a med dose accurately (both VERY important) that we never saw the big picture of what nurses actually do on the floor. I did my "big" clinical in the PACU and DID have that perspective, and it was awesome--the patient was all mine from the time he/she hit the unit to the time I handed him/her off to go home or to the floor. Without that exposure, it's just a weird little snapshot.

Our float pool program covers a bunch of adult med-surg units but no pedi or l&d; I love variety and tend to jump into new situations with a sense of adventure! Praying this is the right fit (and that they think so, too!)...