Offered new job, scarred-hours, endo RNs help

[Furoffire]

I have been done ICU and med surg nursing for years and now work in a PCU. I've done 8 and 12 hour shifts, now as the trend is, doing 12's. I have been feeling frustrated and tired about the quick turn over in patients these days in our unit, the patients and family frustration etc. etc. Tired of running up and down the halls for 12 hours etc. too.

I was not looking but the director of the endo dept. came up to me one day and offered me a position. It would be 5 days a week. Some days I'd get off early due to the list of procedures other days stay longer, way longer becasue of add on's etc.

The part that does not settle well is taking of call one night a week and one week a month. I have never done that and am freaking out a bit.

So can anyone tell me exactly how it is. I tried with the manager but I was a bit nervous and blown away of the offer. The answers were a little vague but I see the staff stays there for a long time and the dept is growing.

Can you please share with me how things typically go? How does one make appointments for anything w/o knowing one's schedule? And those of you that used to work on the floors or units whatever you want to call them, are you now glad to be away and working in the endo dept? I can only imagine but need some reality therapy from those of you that are doing it? I have till Monday morning to speak my mind or the wheels will start turning, my PCU director will be told etc!

Thanks, Kit

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I have several good friends who work Endo and they "love" it. They say call is no big deal because they never get called in. Not much call for stat colonoscopies or EGD's because of the prep time involved. Pt is admitted from ER, stablized and then scheduled for endo procedures. Good Luck!