whats less stress.... pacu or OR?

Nurses General Nursing

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i work in an ER now, but when i get older, i would like to switch to either the OR or pacu. which area is considered less stressfull? i really don't wanna be runnin around when i'm 55- 60 yrs old juggling 3 -4 patients and having family ask me for water every 4 minutes!!

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Specializes in L&D, PACU.

Well, no family in either OR or PACU. I prefer PACU. But part of that is I just don't like the thought of wearing a cap and mask ALL DAY. I'm not really fond of some surgeons attitudes either, so I do better in PACU where we seldom see them. Yeah, I know. I'm bad. I have friends who work the OR. They prefer it. Will you miss direct patient care? People who respond to you? Not much patient interactions in the OR.

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Specializes in ER.

You couldn't pay me enough to go to the OR. PACU on the other hand....sign me up!!

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

Well I only did my preceptorship in the PACU but I would think it would be more stressful than OR because of all the airway issues, low staffing, and the fact that its a never ending stream of unknown patients coming through the door that can go from 0 to laryngospasm in seconds.

I loved PACU though and I would hate to be an OR nurse (no offense) just not my cup of tea.

Oh and one more thing: at least in Ca we had a fixed ratio of 2 pts to 1 nurse which is a godsend when you have a vented patient and a peds case but totally boring when you have two really small cases

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Less stress? In a busy PACU or OR?

That's not gonna happen.

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Specializes in EMERGENCY - TRAUMA.

I have been a Trauma/ER nurse for 14 years and last November I decided to make a change. I figured I was getting burned out or a bad attitude or was already so crispy I wouldn't know the difference anyway. So, a friend who already punched out (from the ER) to PACU suggested I try it. A night position had just opened up and so hesitantly I took it.

The hospital's orientation to PACU took me through the three of the surgical experience. My thoughts are as follows and reflect my own personal tastes, experiences, and observations since last Nov.:

1. PREOP-- Wouldn't have that job even if you threw in complimentary booze and guest pass to the Mustang Ranch all inclusive. HIGH stress getting people ready to be cut open. Paperwork out the ass! Nervous patients, even more nervous family members. People have been NPO since before midnight. They are thirsty, hungry, and anxious. Did I mention the paperwork? Consents for just about everything short of taking a dump. Labs to draw, results to be reported, surgeons and anesthesiologists to find, etc. etc. and all the while that clock is ticking down to go to OR.

2. INTRAOP (OR)-- In a word, BORING. (my opinion OR nurses, not an insult!:)) Put on your hat, booties, gloves, and in this hospital, what I can only describe as a Bio-HAZARD SUIT. Which I guess is exactly what it is.:D Now, stand there from 1-6 hours depending on the case and sometimes longer. If you're lucky the surgeon's musical taste and yours are somewhere in the same ballpark. Otherwise you are stuck in audio hell.

3. PACU--It's a GRIND. You can recover most run of the mill surgery patients in about hour or so. I mean they are scheduling on just that, the pt. being gone in about an hour. You can hold up the OR if too many patients are in PACU longer than that. OR HELD UP= NEXT SURGERY HAS TO WAIT= THAT MONEY IS NOT BEING MADE. So, You roll one out and they roll one right back in. On a busy day this can go on NON-STOP ALL DAY. And I am serious about that money part. The OR brings the hospital $$$$$ and they don't like that cash cow sitting idle for ****.

Bottom line

:redlight::banghead:PREOP-- most stressful related to responsibility of paperwork and getting pt to cutting board on time.:barf01:

:yawn::sleep::grn:OR-- you will die of boredom or kill yourself because you have heard this same Inglebert Humperdink song 6 times today.

:hpygrp:PACU not much stress but pace is monotonous/repetitious.

JUST MY OPINION AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT OPINIONS....

GOMERNATOR

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I don't think any job is stress free..they all have their good points and their bad. I'm an OR nurse and love it. I work in a a place that does trauma so it is definitely not boring..No case is exactly the same and if you're in there with a good team, it's downright fun. Surgery itself is very interesting and sometimes, I get to scrub..love having my hands in someone's chest or belly and no, I'm not being sarcastic. Most of our surgeons are respectful..they know we can make or break their day.:p

It can have its stressful moments, patients can start circling the drain in a second..we had a code in one of our rooms just the other day, on a routine case.

Not the job for someone who wants to sit though, or who has physical limitations..you spend most of the day on your feet whether you circulate or scrub,and you move heavy patients and equipment. It's not a job for the lazy or wimpy.

I think I'd be bored in PACU-and i respect PACU nurses a ton. We all have our likes and dislikes, that's all.

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Consider the hours too. When I look at job postings for PACU, the need for nurses is highest when there are more surgeries going on, so I see a lot of 11a-11p job openings. The hours are the ones that seem awkward for a lot of schedules.

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Less stress? In a busy PACU or OR?

That's not gonna happen.

I agree. If you're looking for low stress, how about the endoscopy suite or clinic nursing?

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

stress is very dependent upon your own expectations. I remember wanting off the floor for similar reasons. Got my MSN because I thought Education would be easier. HA! I move furniture around, work longer hours than before, please hardly no one since they blame me for CPR, etc being expired, etc. However, the work may be harder but the stress is less because I love what I do. Therefore, it meets my expectations and I am not disappointed. Tired, but not disappointed.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I think that each nurse has different tolerance levels for different types of stress. No nursing job is without stress, period.

You don't think OR nurses have stress? Ask them how stressful it is when a count is off, or they drop an instrument, or the patient starts to crash...

PACU stress is fairly obvious, the pace can be breath taking...patients can go sour in a heart beat, and the spagetti attached to patients can be overwhelming.

We each have to find the areas where we can comfortably practice, knowing that this is not necessarily a static thing...our comfort with types of stress may evolve over time and experience.

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Specializes in Periop, ER.

I agree that each area has its stressors.

It also depends on the setting, are we talking outpatient surgery center, or inpatient hospital? Trauma center or community hospital?

I have worked preop/post op and OR in an outpatient surgery center, PACU in a hospital trauma center.

To me, Pacu had more advantages related to varying acuity of patients meant that you had to keep your critical care skills, and be able to quickly identify changes.

Yes it was stressful, but on normal workdays (not on call), there was a real team effort and team support, especially if a patient was going downhill. On call is a different story- very stressful.

I loved it.

Now as a manager over all of the above areas- I am the most comfortable stepping in during short staffing in the PACU.

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