uds16

If you take a mother baby tech and throw them in the ED they would be "LOST IN THE SAUCE". If you take a Observation unit tech and float them to NICU, again, they would be "LOST IN THE SAUCE". I'm saying this to say that us float pool techs have to be proficcent in every skill on every unit we float 2. Those who work on a specific unit are only responsible for the tasks and skills on that specific unit. An example: the ED techs at my hospital are responsible for inserting IV's. No other units on the hospital are allowed to do that. So because i'm in the float pool, i HAD to learn how to do that. Also, no other floor is responsible for doing EKG's so again i HAD to learn how to read and interpret those EKG's. That is just a couple of the skills i have picked up while working in the float pool. If i have more skills and EXPERIENCE than the other techs I'm working around then i expect to be paid more.

Great! Keep me updated on different things you find helpful/useful during your journey. How far along are you in nursing school?

Do you think float pool should get a differential? I do because at the drop of a dime we must be able to switch gears and go from one unit to another (as i have done). However my hospital only offers float RN's the diff and not us techs (not enough appreciation for us i guess). I seem to have a hard time finding other float pool workers on this site so if you have any experience or currently work in a float pool please give me feedback. thanks

My first position as a PCT with no hospital experience i made 12.75 an hour. That was in Ohio and in the float pool. I worked my way up to about 13 by the next year. I then relocated to GA and got a job in a level one ER where they only payed me 9.75 base pay! I liked the duties of the job, but everytime i thought about how much i was making it ruined my attitude towards work. About one month later I quit and transfered to another hospital's floatpool (where i am now) making about 11.75 base pay. I have 3 years of experience. My next position i will be firm in negotiating my pay rate.

Hello I'm currently in the process of re-enrolling myself for the fall '14 semester to finish up a few pre recs for a nursing program here in the Atlanta area. I have a few credits from a university and a community college i attended a few years back. My grades werent A's when i took those classes. I was wondering if anyone could give me feedback on wether or not i should start from scratch and retake all of my pre rec classes, or just start off where i left off. I'm leaning towards atleast retaking my sciences because i know those are the ones they look at the most. Also, do nursing schools frown on retaken classes? Let me know what you guys think! Thanks!

I would like to be a trauma flight nurse or pediatric trauma nurse. We'll see where i end up!

I havent really experienced any discrimination because of me being a male...If anything, i feel more appreciated and welcomed in my profession. As a float pool tech, whenever they see me walk throught the doors in the morning everyone is excited and welcomes me. However i know that the discrimination DOES exist. EG. My supervisor told me that he has previous mother baby experience, and when he was floated to mother baby back when he was a floor nurse they told himthay they didnt want him working there because of his sex. He has ample experience in tha tfeild and he was offended because of it. Not sure of the details, but none the less the discrimination is there...i just havent noticed it as much as you stated in your post.

I work with many successful nurses and even doctors, NPs, CRNA with dread locks. His personality, skill level and experience speak more for him than his hair does. That's discrimination to not hire someone because of their dread locks that arent even that long to begin with. So no, tell him that he will be just fine as long as he is a hard worker, is efficent at whatever his area of nursing is and has a good personality.

LOL trust me bro, it'll all get better with time. When i first started as a PCT in the float pool, the thought of cleaning another grown ass mans **** ruined my day. As i kept running into ****** patients (literally) it got easier and easier with each experience. The best advice i have for you is to wear a face mask, maybe a TB duck mask, the next time you run into this situation. But trust me man, your not alone...especially being someone new to a hospital setting.

I know Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Ga has one of the top ranked burn centers. It's a magnet hospital so they they're pretty much top notch. They treat infants up to the elderly. You should research them.

Hey allnurses. I was wondering if anyone can tell me about the difference you feel towards your work enviornment when you've transitioned form an ER tech to a ER nurse. As a tech, i sometimes get burnt out on doing the same thing to all of the patients (putting them on the monitor, ekg, IV, blood draws ect). Do the nurses feel the same way as me? Or is it a different feel being an RN? I don't want to accept a job an a nurse if im not going to like it or get burnt out quickly. Thanks!

I am generally bored by psychiatric units, but after reading about the different types of cases you guys see i may look into it once i get closer to finishing school. Thanks for the input

They never arrested me when i got caught..i just got ticketed, and i had to go to court. They let me go each time thankfully.

Are there psych units in peds hospitals? If so how is it? What are some of the most common types of disorders you see at work?

I no longer smoke marajuana or partake an any drug activities.