3 Ways to Improve Nurse Retention in Your Float Pool

Most every nurse has been asked to float. Floating, also known as pulling, is a staffing strategy that involves sending a nurse from their home unit to a unit that needs staff. Floating is utilized as a cost effective way to mitigate nurse overtime or travel nurses which can become expensive.

To some nurses, it gives the opportunity to work with new types of patients and experiences. However most nurses do not see floating as a positive, and can feel anxiety and dissatisfaction when asked to do so.

These emotional responses stem from several factors. Going to an unfamiliar unit can produce discomfort at the disruption from a normal shift. Each unit has their own processes for many nursing duties. This results in added time to complete essential duties. Also, a nurse accustomed to minimal care patients may find difficulty with high acuity patient populations.

“A transformational leader who sees the importance of autonomy for nursing staff is a positive influence on retention and nurse satisfaction”. Willing to Walk: A Creative Strategy to Minimize Stress Related to Floating

Forcing nurses to float can cause poor nurse retention and dissatisfaction. While it might seem hopeless for nursing leaders who rely on floating, here are a few tips. Support your nurses by never pressuring them to float. Only float nurses educated and qualified to be working with the new patient population. Last, standardize a handoff process that will assist in meeting expectations in their unfamiliar unit.

Caringly is a software solution designed by nurses for nurses. Standardizing and quantifying patient handoffs can mitigate consequences of floating. Caringly improves nurse retention, nurse satisfaction, and reduces nurse overtime.

Want to talk about the challenges of your nurse float pool or your experiences while floating? Drop a comment below and let's have a discussion.