Working in the Float Pool as a nursing student

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Hello fellow students! I recently applied for a position as a patient care tech/care partner/clin (whatever term they are using at the hospital which pretty much all mean the same thing) and got offered a position to work in the transitional care unit or the resource pool. I'm thinking that the resource pool would be a better option since I'm still in nursing school and not exactly sure which specialty area I would like to practice in. Any thoughts/ideas on this? I've heard good and bad comments about being in the resource pool as an R.N. but I think it would be great to expose me to all the different areas and help me decide what I like best before I graduate this December. Thanks!

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

I personally don't like floating. I like the schedule, but I don't like not knowing anyone and feeling like the outsider every shift even though most people are nice.

I'm in the process of transferring to ER Tech.

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I work as a "float nurse" in LTC. I don't particularly care for it either. However, for a nursing student who hasn't decided on a specialty yet, I think it would be an ideal situation. Good luck.

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I personally don't like floating. I like the schedule, but I don't like not knowing anyone and feeling like the outsider every shift even though most people are nice.

I'm in the process of transferring to ER Tech.

Thanks for the advice. The flexible schedule was a big consideration for me also since I have a part time schedule this spring but will be taking a full load of classes this summer. I didn't want to have to quit the job when I have fewer hours to work this summer and I know that in the float pool, I can cut back hours without being penalized. Do you find it hard to perform your job duties when you have to keep switching to different units?

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I work as a "float nurse" in LTC. I don't particularly care for it either. However, for a nursing student who hasn't decided on a specialty yet, I think it would be an ideal situation. Good luck.

Thanks for the well wishes. I agree with you that I don't know if I would like to "float" as an R.N. I'm hoping that this experience will help expose me to different areas so I can narrow down exactly what areas I prefer and which ones I don't feel are right for me. I know that it can be difficult to switch specialty areas once I start working as an R.N. and I don't want to waste a unit's time or money if the area isn't the right one for me.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

Thanks for the advice. The flexible schedule was a big consideration for me also since I have a part time schedule this spring but will be taking a full load of classes this summer. I didn't want to have to quit the job when I have fewer hours to work this summer and I know that in the float pool, I can cut back hours without being penalized. Do you find it hard to perform your job duties when you have to keep switching to different units?

No. I don't have any experience as a CNA in the pool. I'm a sitter. The sitters at my hospital provide no patient care. Not a very hard job, it just can drive me a little crazy sitting and looking and doing nothing else. That's another factor driving my transfer.

I have friends who are pretty happy floating. Over time, you can ask the staffers to put you in your favorite units and if the nurses and CNAs like you, they might request you.

The schedule is the biggest benefit of the job. I must admit it is excellent for students. My supe asked me if I wanted to be a float CNA, but I really like the ER environment.

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I worked in the resource pool through nursing school, and I too loved the flexibility. I will admit that I hated floating, because there is no way to love every unit, and it was hard to not have a "home". That being said, I think it was great as a nursing student who was not 100% sure of where I wanted to work. It helped me tremendously when I had to start selecting where I wanted to do my senior preceptorship and then applying for jobs. So unless you are 100% sure of what clinical area that you want to work in a nurse, I would highly recommend the resource pool.

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I'm a nursing student and also just accepted a job working as a float PCA! I'm excited about it because I will be exposed to a variety of different environments on all the units and able to explore different specialties as a professional, not just clinical experience. You'll probably also be able to learn a wider variety of skills as opposed to if you were just on one home unit. However, I don't think I would like to work the float pool as an RN.

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The schedule works great as a student, too. I'm only required to work minimum 32 hours a MONTH, no more than 32 a week, and 8 of those hours must be on a weekend. This past semester I worked 24 hours a week while in school, so this should be no problem!

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Specializes in pediatrics.

Resource pool is gonna be better but you will find yourself going to the same floors which are unstaffed. For me its always progressive care but I get to see lots of cardiac patients.

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I've been a float PCA since the beginning of nursing school and I would recommend to any student . Flexible hours you can't beat. Plus the experience of knowing the entire hospital plus the nursing supervisors is a huge step up. Not gonna lie the first 6months was rough gettin to know who is who but now it's like being a pro.

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