What do you work in the float pool?

It’s the same with all specialties, some will love it and some will hate it. 

personally I enjoyed float pool, I liked the variety it gave me. It was a good way to try out lots of specialities and learn what I liked/not liked. I also learnt so much, and gained a broad range of skills. 

but I think I had a different experience to others since I worked in a small hospital where everyone knew everyone. Also we got a proper orientation to all units I worked in, so never felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and Always felt like I was part of the team. 

I would love to work float pool. A different setting every day, or sometimes multiple settings through the shift, no unit politics or crap, sounds great to me. Our float pool nurses makes a good $15/hr more than me, and they rarely hire into it because of the high wage. 

I enjoyed float pool for many years. It gave me a chance to see a more diverse patient population (rather than just medical or just surgical), get it all. I felt like I became more competent because I could see all the things. You can become a resource to newer nurses seeing things for the first time. Plus, I enjoyed NOT dealing with the "politics" of any specific unit. Plus more money. Plus work when You want to work, not when They schedule you. ?  Cons? No set locker.

I'm a float for outpatient clinics and I love it. I'm never at one site long enough to be part of the office drama, but I love going to new places everyday. I enjoy working with every one and it is always nice to catch up with people when I float to their clinics. I think it's pretty fun and I'm happy being a nomad. 

My girlfriend works in our float pool, she can get floated two or three times a night wherever there’s a need. 
 

however it seems like she gets the lamer assignments or the more behaviorally difficult pts. Some nights she definitely says the $4.75 differential isn’t worth it. 

I didn't notice the bad grammar in my title until I got a notification email. That's bad. Gotta stop rushing to press send.

On 12/20/2020 at 7:43 AM, JadedCPN said:

Only $1/hr float differential for where you work, ONE DOLLAR?? That is crazy!

You'll LOVE THIS!  That is for CNAs and RNs. Oh and charge nurse get $1 more too. I

 The con...I found floating to be difficult.  Even with 20 years of experience. It took all I had to focus on new patients on a new unit, every day.

 The pro would be.. you would learn many new skills.

One dollar an hour is  a joke.  Especially in these times.

Once you've been float pool for a few months and are familiar with all the units you work and they with you, it becomes pretty easy. Some nurses will give you shade because everyone knows we make more than floor nurses, but I don't mind reminding them that the reasons they don't want to float are the reason we make more. ha.

I personally love the variety of work days that I have in float pool. I work ICU, med/surg and I'm PICC trained so I do vascular access regularly too and I don't get burnt out because it's always something different.

As someone else mentioned, it's awesome also to not get involved in unit drama. When I hear the local gossip on the floors I float to, I just move along in my peaceful, uninvolved bubble where that drama doesn't matter to me in the least.

I've been asked a few times to go back full time, but even aside from the better pay I don't think I want to any time soon.

I like the idea of float pool because of the variety it gives me. Granted if you have a job that will float you to all the departments and not just one in particular.