Re: Looking to pick PACU nurses brain
You need ACLS and PALS in my workplace. There are many prior ICU nurses with a wealth of knowledge and we use them to help with some of the more tricky situations we find at times.
I LOVE my job. I have been in PACU for 7 years now. I am a "seasoned" nurse with many years behind me and several different work experiences. It is through these experiences that I feel very comfortable with what I do. I truely believe that a new nurse should have at least 1-2 years on a med/surg floor to gain experience and use the skills they learned in school.
PACU jobs are hard to come by. Once you are there you stay there for a time. NO weekends (except on call every 4-5 weekends) and we rotate holidays on call because we are closed except for emergencies. That is a plus!!
Don't let anyone tell you it is a piece of cake to work in this department. The main focus is the patients airway after anesthesia. It only takes a split second for something to go wrong. We are very busy most of the time. When we have down time, we try to sneak a cup of coffee or take a break
Hope this helps. anr33
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