Advise, please

Following! I'm thinking about going PACU as well. All the places that have openings where I am are all day shift and weekdays. Mostly 4 10 hour shifts. I think because if its an emergency surgery in the middle of the night or something they go to the ICU afterwards rather than the PACU.

Our level 2 staffed two at night on weekdays only and 2 on call on shifts to cover weekend. Most of the time, those two at night picked up the remnants of the day and started things in the morning. They were also expected to be ICU overflow if things were backed up; though this was rare. Otherwise they were tasked with setting up shop for the morning. Setting up stretchers, hanging bags, etc.

I work in a smaller hospital with 6 OR rooms. I take call once a week and every fifth weekend. We schedule our holidays out years ahead of time. All the staff is very flexible with switching shifts when needed too.

We don't have a night shift so there is no nurse staffed for nights. If I am on call and get called in I rely on my circulator to be my second RN if trouble arises. Unfortunately that gets rough sometimes when there are multiple call cases. Most times I'm alone on call but my team is close by and there is always someone to come assist if needed.

All in all I love working in recovery. I have done card tele, OR, ED, step down... this is by far my favorite job path I have taken as an RN.

I get time with patients, mostly without family, I don't keep them long like on the floor, I have less frequents, I sometimes get to have fun conversations with my patients, and best of all I still get my critical care patients. The difference with my critical care patients is that I can actually devote my attention to them and I have a full team of other RNs and Drs as close back up if needed.

Depending on the size of the hospital and the amount of locum surgeons you use, you really develop close relationships with your anesthesiologists and physicians.