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Discussion

To float or not to float?

Hi everyone,

I appreciate anyone's thoughts on this!

I'm a junior in my nursing program, and the hospital offers nursing students jobs, basically like CNA positions.

My first choice unit when I graduate is Labor and Delivery (like most it seems!). I was offered a CNA nursing student position there, and the word is that sometimes they hire new grads who work that position. HOWEVER, the CNA in L&D mostly stocks and hardly has direct patient care. The benefit would be learning in the environment and getting to know everyone on the unit and hoping that they might hire me once I graduate.

But I also was offered the same position but as a supplemental floating position. This is high stress, but the pay is higher. I would be sent to the most short staffed areas in the hospital, and the experience would be incredibly diverse and challenging. I would learn more and have more patient interaction and care. The hire rate of the student floaters is 80%.. so that's pretty good.

I'm torn. I feel like I would love to gain more experience, but my heart is in L&D...help!

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    If you know for a fact that your heart is in L&D and you know that you would like to work on this unit post graduation then I would say take the L&D position. This would allow you to make valuable connections and could help you land a job post graduation.

    If you are not set on being an L&D nurse then I would say be a floater. Sounds like it would be a great experience. You also might experience other units that you come to like and could make valuable connections there as well.

    Just depends on where your heart is set and where you see yourself after graduation.

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    I would say float for the experience. After all, if you are planning on staying at that hospital after you graduate, just already having your foot in the door helps. And IF you are still interested in L&D after getting exposed to other units, then just have a manager from one of them put in a good word for you with the L&D director. Just my 2 cents

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    Personally I feel that the amount of experience that you would get from floating will be limited due to the difference in practice between cna and rn. Also cna experience tend to count for very little on paper when applying for a job as an rn. The useful part of being a cna prior to graduation is familarizing yourself with the unit and networking. I feel that if your dream goal is L&D then floating to other units would not give you the edge that you are looking for. If you are open to learning more about other units, is fine with getting a position in another unit and like the extra money then by all means do it.

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    I'm torn. I feel like I would love to gain more experience, but my heart is in L&D...help!

    I took a job on my surgical transplant unit, knowing i wanted to be in maternal nursing/L&D... i took this position because the learning environment was amazing! You have to weigh your options.. at my hospital you can transfer after 6 month-1 year, maybe maternity would be more stimulating? the scrub techs are the ones who get to do more in L&D. Unfortunately there isn't much room for the CNA to do a whole lot... this would be totally different in post-pardem.. you would give baby baths, do bilirubin testing, etc.

    You need to remember that most nurse managers hire their CNAs after nursing school.... so be prepared! godlike

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