Are PCU's common?

Hmmmm... I was just offered a job as a new grad RN on a surgical PCU. It was described as a unit that provides ekg monitoring but is not telemetry and is considered the training ground for ICU and ER. This is the first time I have heard of "PCU". Can anyone share some info on this?

I'm assuming PCU means Progressive Care Unit. Often, progressive care is synonymous with 'step-down'. They take patients that are not critical enough for ICU, but too sick for med-surg ratios. We have a few at my hospital, 2 medical progressive cares, which take chronic medical patients, often after long stays in MICU. One of which takes chronic vents that were failure to weans. The other, a cardiac progressive care unit, takes r/o MIs, post-cath patients, post-ppm and patients that don't exactly fit the criteria for CCU. The nurses there are also ACLS and run their own codes. Essentially, they are tele- units with lower nurse-to-patient ratios of 1:2-4, as opposed to 1:4 to 1:7-8 ratios you would find on a med-surg floor with TMS monitoring.

Check out AACN- http://www.aacn.org/AACN/practice.nsf/vwdoc/TelemetryPage . I think you will find some useful info here.

I will be orienting on a cardiac telemetry floor that includes a PCU (progressive care unit). My unit is strictly cardiac so lots of MI, CHF, etc. It is organized into 2 wings with 12 telemetry beds in each wing and 6 PCU beds directly across from the nurses station. The tele ratios are usually 4:1 on days/evenings and 6:1 on nights. The ratios for the PCU are usually 3:1 but sometimes 2:1 depending on the patient acuity. The PCU on my floor is considered a step-down from the CCU...and also as a stepping stone for nurses who want to get into the CCU. The CCU won't hire internally unless you've worked at least 1 year on the PCU.

My hospital also has a medical telemetry floor which may be similar to what you were offered. It is basically anyone who comes to the hospital for a medical reason that requires cardiac monitoring. So you have post-ops, respiratory, etc that also need telemetry. Basically everyone who needs telemetry that is not admitted for an acute cardiac event. This unit also has a PCU and the ratios are better but the patients tend to be sicker. I think the max is 2:1 on the PCU and 3:1 on the floor days/evenings and 4:1 on the floor for nights. It is a very heavy floor but gives lots of experience and exposure and is a great transition place to get into ER or a medical ICU.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the input.

Another question - What does DOU mean? The surgical PCU I applied to is also referred to as IMCU-DOU???

Duh, I feel kinda ridiculous asking this but geez....

just a guess but maybe "direct observation unit" ???