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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.

Ur right. Giving them the slightest reason to disqualify me is'nt smart AT ALL, I admit. Especially as competitive as it is getting into nuisring school. However i was never arrested or have a mugshot. I know a criminal record isn't a good look, however i believe my references, work ethic and previous experience speaks volumes about me as a person and a worker; more so than my record. I believe there is hope and i won't give up on my plans on becoming a nurse. Thanks for the input

Preciate it man. I have a great rep with my hospital as being a great worker. Many units tell me they'll hire me once i finish school. I was just gonna be up front with whoever i need to and let my great work ethic speak for me, not my record. I no longer smoke or do drugs or anything. Preciate sharing the good response.

Preciate it. I was never arrested or have a mugshot tho.

I work at a hospital in Decatur, GA. Not too far from atlanta. You should apply here as we have many RN positions open. i'll send you a message telling you what hospital it is so that you can look it up.

You're right, it does look bad for me. But i was thinking that if i am able to make it through nursing school and pass my NCLEX i'll be sure to land a job. Especially if i move to a place where marajuana is legal like somwhere in California or Colorado. What do you think? I've had people tell me that getting into nursing school is the hard part and ive had them tell me that being able to work is the hard part.

If i am able to get through nursing school and pass my NCLEX, i was thinking that i can land a job. Especially if i go somwhere like california or colorado where marajuana is legal. What do you think? Thanks for your opinion @RunBabyRun

yes, i have stopped using since then.

Hey I was wondering if there are any pre nursing students who may have misdemeanors on their background. If so, what do you think are the chances of it affecting your aceptance into a nursing program? For me specifically, i got caught with Marajuana twice. One of the two has been expunged. The most recent of the two was in the summer of 2011. I have landed 3 jobs as a Patient Care Tech since then, and was able to pass both the drug screen and the background check.

Hello, I'm currently taking pre recs in hopes of getting into a nursing school in the Atl area. I have been caught with marajuana twice, once wich has been expunged. The most recent one was in he summer of 2011. I have only seen threads about nurses who already have their degree and have gotten in some trouble. Is getting into a nursing school with a misdemeanor harder than renewing your license with one? Please give me your honest opinion. Oh, and I have landed 3 jobs as a Patient Care Technician, and made it past the human resources background check since then. Thanks you!