A float pool nurse covers whichever unit is short that day. Big hospitals use them to fill holes without calling an agency. A 25-bed hospital has one floor, so there is nowhere to float and nobody spare to float.
A float pool needs multiple units, spare headcount, and a staffing office. A 25-bed hospital has one floor and a dual-role nurse manager, so there is nothing to pool. This guide covers the three coverage models that actually fit a small rural hospital instead.
A 25-bed hospital cannot staff nights the way a large hospital does, and copying the big-hospital playbook is how night rotations break. This guide covers the night shift patterns critical access hospitals actually use, the CMS rules that govern overnight staffing, and how to spread coverage without burning out the few nurses who say yes.