Should a new grad work as a float nurse?

RN1982 · Feb 11, 2009

No, you should NOT work as a float nurse. You are a new grad, you have no experience. You need experience. Take a floor position.

RNperdiem, RN · Feb 11, 2009

Start out in one place. Develop good working relations with one set of people, and get some experience, skill and confidence.

You will need the experience, skill and confidence when you are totally new to a floor and the only orientation you get is along the lines of "the supply room is there, the PYXIS is over there, break room there, and here is your assignment".

Eventually you will be floated to other areas when you are able to float. Floating seems to be something you either love or hate.

Then you can decide if you want to be a float nurse.

CL 09 · Feb 11, 2009

I had my doubts about it but I guess I needed to hear it from someone else. Thanks to both Traumanurse07 and RNperdiem. I will take your advice to heart!

aspmh17 · Feb 11, 2009

I would agree that they gave good advice. I'd think it best to get some time under your belt and building up your comfort level before floating.

luvmy2angels · Feb 11, 2009

I agree, as a new grad you should take a floor job to get that experience first. Good Luck!!

VORB · Feb 11, 2009

I'm not sure what 'staff support' is, but I'm not sure how one would support staff in any way without some sort of experience.

As far as floating goes, our hospital won't let you do that within your first 90 days. And I've not met anyone who likes to float -- so that ultimately may be in your favor if that's your preference.

Having said all that, I don't buy into the 'you must do this' or 'you must do that' mentality when it comes to new nurses. If you know what you want to do before the end of school, go for it. All nursing areas take unique skills, whether ICU, OR, IV Team, ER or Med-Surg, and to start out in one area when you're better-matched for another area is just dumb -- for both you and your employer. There's nothing worse than a med-surg nurse who should be working in critical care or vice-versa.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 11, 2009

get some experience before you float. but floating can be an interesting and challenging specialty, so if you're still up for it in a couple of years, go for it!

CABG patch kid, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2009

The hospital I work at has "core areas" that you float within; for example, tele nurses can float to the 2 other tele units, but aren't supposed to float to mother-baby for example, because that is out of their core area. As a new grad, we didn't even float WITHIN our core area (not until about 6 months exp.), let alone all around the hospital. I woudn't even feel comfortable going outside my area now after a year of experience. If you do decide to join a float pool after some floor experience, just remember that we aren't supposed to take an assignment that we are not competent to care for :) Good luck

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Feb 11, 2009

Our new grad floor nurses do not float for 4 months. An area hospital that utilizes a float pool requires 2 years' experience before nurses can hire on for that.

CL 09 · Feb 20, 2009

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post regarding new grads and floating, your advice has been very helpful in deciding which direction I want to take in my nursing career. Now all I have to worry about is passing NCLEX.

Thanks again!!!