My life as a Float Pool nurse at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital: Christine Sgroi

Christine Sgroi, BSN, RN, graduated from the University of Connecticut with her nursing degree in 2017. After a short time working in a pediatrician’s office, she was offered a job in the Float Pool at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in 2018. We asked Christine to tell us about her life as a Float Pool nurse.

What made you choose nursing as a profession?

I was inspired to pursue a career in nursing by my mom, who is also a nurse. Growing up, I watched her take care of the kids in our town. Whether it be our friends, neighbors or fellow teammates in various local sports. She was everyone’s go-to person in an emergency. I remember being in awe watching my mom calmly take control of hectic medical situations while effortlessly putting the patient and family at ease in the process. Not only did this make me proud to be her daughter but, more importantly, made me realize I wanted to be that person making a difference in people’s lives too.

After I took my boards, I knew I wanted to start my career working as a bedside nurse in a hospital. I was fortunate enough to be offered a job as a newly licensed nurse (NLN) here at BWFH. The NLN program thoroughly prepared me for my start in bedside nursing. The extended orientation and constant support from nursing leadership to the floor nurses helped me gain complete confidence in my ability to care for patients independently.

You’ve worked your entire career in the Float Pool. What is it that you like about the Float Pool?

Initially, I was apprehensive about starting as a new grad in the Float Pool. Coming to work every day not knowing where I’d be working or who I’d be working with, all while being a brand-new nurse trying to learn and acclimate was intimidating to say the least. Despite the nerves, I graciously accepted and was thrilled to have the opportunity to start my career here. This proved to be one of the best decisions I made both professionally and personally. Being in the Float Pool has not only offered me countless learning opportunities, but has also forced me outside of my comfort zone. Because of this, I have become adaptable in the workplace, a strength that I feel is imperative in the hospital. As a Float Pool nurse at BWFH, I get to work on multiple different units including med/surg, ICU, Addiction Recovery and the psychiatry floor. I have gained specialized knowledge that ultimately has shaped me into a more well-rounded nurse. I have been able to take pieces of what I’ve learned from each unit and apply it wherever I’m working in the hospital. Ironically, now I can’t picture myself working in any other department. There is something new and different every day, which I love.

When entering the field of nursing, we are often encouraged to begin our careers in med/surg in order to master basic clinical skills. While this may be a good starting point, it makes it difficult to see what else is out there. Although floating can be challenging at times, it has helped me to know my likes and dislikes within the scope of bedside nursing.

What does your typical day look like?

I’m hired for a 36-hour day position, working three 12-hour shifts per week, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. One huge perk of the Float Pool is the flexibility in scheduling. Our manager is awesome and makes every effort to accommodate schedule and vacation requests.

My typical morning starts around 5:30 a.m. I have to admit, I’m not a morning person so the early wake ups can be challenging, especially after back-to-back 12-hour shifts. My commute is about 25 minutes, so I try to be out the door by 6:20 a.m. The hospital provides shuttle buses from various locations that run every 15 minutes or so. I park at the Forest Hills shuttle lot and typically arrive to the hospital around 6:45 a.m. When I get to work, I check in with the Nursing Supervisor to find out my assignment for the day. Depending on the staffing needs, I could be working on the same unit for the entire 12-hour shift. Other times it’s just for eight hours and then I get floated to another unit for the remaining four hours.

Once I get to my unit, I start the day by looking up my patients and getting organized for report. Nursing report starts promptly at 7 a.m. and usually wraps up in about a half hour. The Nursing Supervisor will tell me by early afternoon if I’m needed on another unit for the latter part of the shift. This gives me time to finish up documentation, any remaining tasks and prepare my patients for their next nurse who comes in at 3 p.m. The afternoons are busy, filled with discharges and admissions, so the time flies by. At 7 p.m. we have a brief staff huddle and then begin giving report to the oncoming shift. I’m usually done for the day around 7:30 p.m.

You spend so much of your time caring for your patients. What do you do to practice self-care?

Working in a profession that focuses on caring for others can make it hard to prioritize our own needs and self-care. With that being said, I have learned how important this practice is. You can’t expect to adequately care for others when you aren’t caring for yourself. On my days off, I try my best to make time for myself whether that be sleeping in late, getting a manicure or simply meeting a friend for coffee or dinner. When the weather is warm, I make an effort to get outside as much as possible for fresh air and exercise. In the summer months I enjoy taking a walk around my neighborhood and gardening, a hobby I took up during the COVID-19 pandemic. I find this time by myself to be therapeutic and a way to clear my head as I process the things I experienced the days prior while at work. I spend so much time inside the hospital on my long workdays that I really try to make it a priority to get outside on my days off.