Emergency nurse to perioperative nurse

Fleming · May 6, 2010

Hi:

I totally understand where you are coming from, after 18 years in the Emergency department, I was stressed out. I transferred to PACU, and the change was exactly what I needed. I found I could use all my critical care skills in PACU, and unlike the ER, the patient flow was controlled.

Go for it!

skipaway · May 6, 2010

I am currently an ED nurse and I am thinking of becoming a perioperative nurse. I am considering this area of nursing to decrease the amount of stress I am experiencing in the ED. Is perioperative nursing just as stressful as the ED? I work in a rural 27 bed ED that sees 75000 patients a year. We have had several level 1 trauma nurses leave our facility because of the high pt load and the high acuity of our patients. I do not want to leave one high stressed level job for another. Has anyone made this same transition?

Wow, that's an average of 205 patients per day. No wonder you're stressed.

lnp0205, LPN · May 8, 2010

We fill every nook and cranny of our ED with patients. Our ED is more like a 27 bed/30 chair ED. You could say we are busting at the seams for a good 20 hours out of the day and our 12 hour shifts often turn into 14 hour shifts.

_quarks_RN_ · May 8, 2010

Wow, that's an average of 205 patients per day. No wonder you're stressed.

yeh, wow! 205 patients per day, at least 7 patients / day on each bed. at least you'll get a new patient in every 3 hours for each bed.

It is really stressful but very much challenging.

I wanted to become a ER nurse, but because of the post i read from ER nursing, i am reconsidering other fields. PACU is very nice too and i bet it is less stressful than ER.

brownbook · May 8, 2010

I enjoy prei-operative nursing But be aware you might end up having to be on call. Find out if you will be expected to take call, how often, etc. You can work your 8 hour shift, then work the next 16 hours with emergency call cases (of course this is the worst case scenario.) Get it in writing, how often will I take call, if I work call x amount of hours will I be cancelled my next regular shift, how does overtime work with call, how is holiday call coverage decided, etc.

bartender514, ADN, BSN · May 8, 2010

I've known a few nurses to migrate out of ED to OR or cath lab strictly due to better hours. I guess it would also depend on whether or not you got to choose what service you were with. Trauma, ortho, cardiac etc...

lnp0205, LPN · May 12, 2010

Quarks RN,

It really depends on what ED you work in and the type of management it has. If you are able to work in an ED that is well staffed and has resources, then you will love it.

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · May 12, 2010

There is stress in the peri-operative environment too and call as someone else mentioned. I would say in the vast majority of places, you have to take call.

The good things about the OR are as follows:

-one pt at a time

-usually always get breaks and meals

-don't have to deal with families to a large extent

-none of the every other weekend-every other holiday thing..we usually end up with one major and one minor holiday(call shift) and about every 6th weekend on call.

-surgery is cool

-call(if you like extra money)

the cons:

- it's a very physical job..lots of lifting, moving and running about.

-some of your coworkers(docs, nurses, techs) can have obnoxious personalities and it can suck if you're in a room with them all day.

-call(if you like your free time and being able to sleep through the night)

IMO, more pros to the OR than cons for me...I love it, but others hate it.