Med-Surg to PACU

Elementary · Feb 22, 2008

Hi,
Just wanted to mention that I have two friends that went into a busy PACU at a large city hospital with 2 yrs med-surg experience and i am hoping to do so soon too. So ICU experience is probably a plus but not necessary.. :)

when you are caring for critical care patients, critical care experience is

necessay.:redbeathe

RN :) · Feb 25, 2008

In response:

I am sure critical care is necessary but with a good orientation and training you learn. How do you think ICU nurses get critical care experience?? By learning with a supportive staff. So yes I agree the PACU requires critical care just like an ICU but an RN is able to learn it there just as one would in a MICU or CICU etc.. I think it depends on the RN too and your skills, interest etc.

Anyway, my two friends are doing great and loving it and they are at The Cleveland Clinic. I would assume if they survived The Cleveland Clinic's high level of acuity, it is possible.:)

Elementary · Feb 25, 2008

Hi RN :)

I work with several med-surge nurses as well, they do fine until they have to titrate a nipride or dopamine gtt or get out the tcp.

or even manage simple laryngospasm, or a pt has an acute MI that needs flown( we're in a rural area) and even more stressful assist with IABP placement. i work with a nurse, she's been in pacu for 18 yrs with no ICU. its not the healthy ones, its the other ones. Its in those times you need the experience to draw upon. I dont know how else you can get it. Good luck!

nickola · Feb 26, 2008

Where I work, we will only accept Critical Care or ER nurses into the 3-6 mo orientation. Med-Surg for 2 yrs would never cut it. It has been said on these boards before & it's true: "PACU is a place that seems easy until it's not"

nickola · Feb 26, 2008

P.S. I have heard of some larger teaching hospitals that have good 1 yr intern programs for RNs w/5+ yrs experience in other clinical areas. These larger places have the staff to carry these newbies until they can "fly on their own" - it takes time, but they have a preceptor available, and a lot of ancillary staff. The seasoned nurses have to always be there though- they are the backbone! PACU's a great area of nursing, it just takes years to become really proficient. Always be willing to learn, and don't get over-confident. Good Luck!

RN :) · Feb 29, 2008

Thanks for the encouraging words...

I am ready to learn! :)

anne74 · Apr 8, 2008

I had 7 months speciality med/surg experience, and then transferred into the PACU, with a high level of acuity. I had a great preceptor for 4 months. We are staffed really well, and if I run into trouble with an ICU pt, there are always multiple seasoned nurses right there to help - not to mention anesthesia docs, etc. I learn a lot from them! Granted, we usually take the lighter ICUs, but when the units are full, we get anyone - multiple drips, vents, etc. It's a relatively new thing for my PACU to take new grads/ less experienced nurses. But they start new grads in the ICUs, so what's the difference?

ICU experience would definitely be an advantage, and I wish I had it. But, now that I'm in the PACU, I don't think I could go anywhere else. It's a pretty good gig compared to floor/ICU nursing. Don't let others intimidate you - if you have the right preceptorship, resources and support it can be done. I've been very happy there. It's much better than busting your orifice on the floor.