First Nursing Job: Float Pool vs. PCU

Nurses Career Support

Published

Which job to choose as a brand new nurse???

I recently graduated with my BSN and have been searching for that first nursing job. This past week I got two job offers, both of which I am very excited about! One is in a Progressive Care / Cardiac Step-down Unit and the other is a Float Pool position. Both are new-grad residency positions so I will have a preceptor and extra classes to help me as I start. I feel that the float pool would be a great way to become well-rounded and see lots of stuff, but I also think that working with higher acuity patients in a PCU would be a great opportunity... I just don't feel like I have enough background to know which would be a better first job. Any advice or insight from nurses who have started out or worked at any point in either of these areas is greatly appreciated!!! :) Thanks in advance.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Float pool seems like a difficult place to start, but perhaps with a residency and consistent preceptors it will work out. PCU would be easier because while you'd have to learn a lot about cardiac, the patient population would be fairly consistent. With float pool you might be doing rehab on Monday, OB on Tuesday, ER on Wednesday and ICU on Thursday.

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it! :)

Specializes in lots of specialties.

To do float pool you really need a lot more experience. It's like being agency. They expect you to be able to hit the ground running with little to no orientation and care for a variety of patients

+ Add a Comment