ER nurse interested in PACU

[wheeze]

i have worked er for 20 years and am interested in transitioning into pacu. i would like some input from pacu nurses as to how you feel about er nurses joining you. would it be a smooth transition for an experienced er nurse? what would be the best thing to say to the pacu manager to get my foot in the door?

thanks

[djmatte, ADN, MSN, RN, NP]

ER experience I imagine is pretty welcome in most PACU's. While many nurses are of the mindset that one needs ICU experience before going in, more and more PACUs are recognizing the benefit of utilizing the experiences of other units. ED is a nice qualification because it shows that you are capable of working in high-paced situations and are experienced with the process of getting patients assessed accurately and quickly. Our PACU's older nurse population has a LOT of ICU background, but I am noticing the newer ones come from a multitude of places like ED, stepdowns, and an occasional OR staffer. It never hurts to use that experience to show what you can bring to the table.

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

I'd say your experience should prepare you admirably for PACU. Although it can be very stressful at times, PACU is a much more restful place to work than ER! As long as you don't find it boring...I had a colleague years ago who was ex-ER and she wasn't keen on the PACU routine at all. No accounting for tastes