Any suggestions for a newbie in Ambulatory Surgery Center?

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Hello,

Does anyone have any books, materials, websites to recommend someone getting into Ambulatory (Day) Surgery Center...apparently they do a lot of eye surgeries (cataracts), shoulders, feet using blocks and I have been a bedside nurse in med/surg & tele units for 5 years so I'm excited at this opportunity but second guessing myself of my skills and if I'll be able to learn as I go in a fast paced area such as this.

BTW...I am so grateful a position like this has come my way because I have been burned to a crisp with bedside nursing and hoped something great came along before I threw in the towel on nursing completely. I'm sure it'll take a while to get used to M-F but I'm ready...so very ready. I've been applying like crazy but I live in a saturated/competitive nursing market so even to all the people who say nursing has all these opportunities...well, I've felt stuck in my position because they don't want to train in ER/ICU/OR/other specialities and want already experienced nurses. It has been frustrating but perseverance pays off :)

Thanks for reading and any words of wisdom you may have are welcomed!

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Check the search box in Allnurses, this question has been asked and answered. However there are many different ways to answer the question.

Just off the top of my head is cataracts are usually a very quick in and out. Patients don't even undress or take off their shoes. In recovery (unless anesthesia tells you something medically significant about the patient) they may get 2 - 3 BP's and are out the door 30 minutes after arriving in recovery. So learn the paperwork, don't think (again use common sense and what anesthesia told you about their health history) about assessing airways etc., Get the paperwork done and get them out the door.

The blocks you need to learn about. Interscalene blocks can affect the phrenic nerve and the patient may feel they can't breath deep or are not breathing. Sometimes there is mild facial drooping. Foot or knee blocks, be sure they have enough sensation back before they stand up. You don't want them to stand at the bedside and topple over to the floor because their extremity is still numb.

Bring home a blank post op nurses form and get used to the check boxes and whatever blanks you need to fill in. Get a good, common sense answer to how much do they want you to chart. How much of a written assessment do they recommend.

Unfortunately no matter how great patient care you give most of the feedback from your boss will be......you didn't complete your charting, or your charts have to many blank areas, or your charts come back from medical records too frequently because you forget to sign off page 6 line 31, or your are using too much overtime to complete your charting, you need to keep on your charting.

The anesthesiologists is your best friend. Remember you are new to this area. THERE ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS. Ask, ask, ask, ask them "what should I be watching for after this type of block," Don't think they will think you are dumb because you ask questions. Repeat, repeat, repeat to yourself, you are new to this job, NO ONE EXPECTS YOU to know. It is not the same as med/surg, and a nurse is a nurse is a nurse does not apply here.

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Thank you for responding. Very helpful& much appreciated.

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how are you doing w/ ambulatory care nursing? how was the transition from med/surg to pre-op/pacu nursing? i would appreciate any help you can give me as i am about to start a per diem job and works as med/surge tele nurse at a hospital. thanks...

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The transition has been good. There is always lots of support in case anything comes up that I may not know but overall things are uneventful. You may not have a problem since you'll be per diem but my biggest transition "issue" was leaving 3 12hr days for M-F (just feels like it's 2 days too many). Good luck! You'll love the change. I certainly do and hope to never go back to full time hospital nursing ever again.

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Congrats on the new job! It sounds like you have received some solid advice already. I have moved around in outpatient care for many years and loved ambulatory surgery for the short time I did it. Just as Brownbook stated, ask lots of questions and double check if you aren't sure you fully understand something. Transition from in-patient to outpatient can be difficult for some because it is often less structured and the practice guidelines are less defined which often is unnerving. But, it sounds like you are adapting well. Wish you the best!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

Once you get more comfortable with the new role spend some time reflecting upon the unique nursing that occurs in your area. Discover the NURSING roles that are NOT tasks assigned by a medical or administrative team.

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thank you.im hoping to transition to full time if and when i find an opening. and i think it would be easier if i get experience. most of them dont have any full time openings. I was thinking the same thing -- just the thought of leaving my 3 12-hr shifts and switching to 5 days a week would be hard at first... i got used to having days off during the week..but thinking about the stress at my telemetry med/surg is not worth it.

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