What is a resource pool, and what benefits do resource pool jobs offer nurses and allied healthcare professionals? From what to expect to how to find one, here’s everything you need to know about allied and nursing resource pools.
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What is a Resource Pool?
Resource pool is a term that may be used differently in different parts of healthcare. For nurses and clinicians, though, a resource pool is usually a type of job where you work — or "float" — in different units or departments.
For instance, nurses who work in a resource pool could be in a telemetry unit one day, and a progressive care unit (PCU) the next. It all depends on where you're needed most. It could even be a different building, or a different hospital in that same network.
If that sounds like a float pool, it basically is. But resource pools — sometimes called internal resource pools (ISPs) — are a newer, more strategic type, used by employers to better manage staff, control costs, ensure quality of care and patient safety. As such, they're a little bit different from the float pools you think you may know.
What Benefits do Resource Pool Jobs Offer?
Because they’re so useful to employers, many are actively expanding their resource pools to better handle unexpected spikes in patient volume and staff shortages — both big challenges for them.
And that means more jobs are available than ever for nurses and clinicians who want to work these types of jobs. But an abundance of career opportunities is just one of the benefits of working resource pool jobs. They also offer:
- Skill development. Even though your core skills will usually determine where you work, you’ll also have opportunities to expand. That means you’re getting paid to build experience, get exposure to new settings, develop skills, and learn how to work with different types of equipment and tech.
- Flexibility and variety. Resource pool jobs are also popular because they offer job flexibility and variety — two things healthcare professionals often say they value, and both of which are helpful in achieving a healthy work/life balance.
- Attractive pay and bonuses. The pay may also be higher than other jobs, too, although this will vary across regions and employers. Many resource pool jobs also offer shift differentials — in other words, you could get paid more to work nights or weekends. Some agencies offer sign-on and referral bonuses, as well.
- Full benefits. With some employers and agencies — like HealthTrust — resource pools are full-time positions. That means you’ll be a salaried employee with guaranteed hours and full benefits, which may be more appealing for some nurses and clinicians than per diem jobs, which offer similar career advantages.
What Can You Expect from Resource Pool Jobs?
Even though you’ll be “floating” to other departments, you’ll still be using your core skills. Since you’re hired based on your main specialty, the other departments you work in will usually be similar. In other words, you won’t be asked to work in a unit where have no skills or experience.
For instance, a resource pool job may ask for telemetry nurses to apply, with the understanding that you have the skills to work in other acute-care departments.
The same applies to allied clinicians. A radiology tech — one of the most in-demand professionals for resource pool jobs — may be hired with the understanding that they can work in MRI, X-ray, or CT scan departments.
- Pro tip: At HealthTrust, we have plenty of resource jobs available for radiology techs. Search now to see what's available!
What’s it Take to Work in a Resource Pool?
Of course, because you’ll be called upon to work in different departments, it does take a certain base set of skills and training to work in a resource pool.
In addition to your core skills, you’ll also usually need to show certain soft skills, too — especially communication, adaptability, and teamwork. After all, you'll be regularly working with different teams of clinicians. If you’re a fast learner and good at solving problems on the fly, that will certainly help, too!
On top of that, you’ll also need to have the license and education needed for any job in your field. And the more certifications you have, the better! That shows you have a wider range of knowledge, a huge benefit for landing a resource pool job.
- Pro tip: Give yourself a career advantage! Check out our list of the best certifications for nursing and the best certifications for allied
How to Find Resource Pool Jobs Near You
So, how can you actually find resource pool jobs that offer all of these benefits? Although you can apply directly with hospitals and other health facilities in your area, those same employers usually turn to agencies like HealthTrust to build out their resource pools. So, you'll find the best opportunities with a company like us.
And at HealthTrust, resource pools jobs are full-time positions. That means you'll get guaranteed hours and full benefits like medical, dental and vision coverage, plus paid time off (PTO), 401(k), and more. You may also have the chance to earn sign-on bonuses or shift differentials, depending on the opportunity.
> Resource pools not for you? Refer a friend instead and you could earn a bonus of up to $1,000 — and you don’t have to be a HealthTrust employee to quality!
Explore Resource Pool Jobs from HealthTrust!
From full benefits to tons of opportunities, there are many reasons why nurses and clinicians like you prefer resource pool jobs from HealthTrust! See for yourself — browse current job openings to see what's available and the benefits waiting for you with HealthTrust.
