ER vs. PACU

Specialties Emergency

Published

Ok, I realize I am posting this on the ER forum and may get some biased answers. I may have opportunities to choose between ER or PACU. My background is Surgical/Neuro ICU for 2 years. Has anyone done both positions? I do love recovering surgical patients, but ER seems like a great challenge. Anyone have input? Thanks.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

Have done both.

With your background, I would think PACU would be less stressful because of the max. of a 2 patient ratio.

Personally, I am finding PACU boring and repetative. I will be going back to the ER very soon because of this monotony.

But, everyone is different & I was comfortable in high volume ERs before going to PACU because I needed a day job with no weekends or holidays at the time.

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Loved working in PACU before ED. Everyone in our PACU was always so civil. Love ED too -- I find it more varied and love the pace.

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Specializes in general surgery/ER/PACU.

I worked in PACU for 2 years before going to the ER. I liked PACU and it was a much easier job than the ER, but very repetitious. After 2 years worth of PACU I felt like I started losing skills. Now I've been in the ER for 2 years and I feel like a much more well rounded nurse and it's never dull.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, ICU.

PACU nurses and ED nurses are very similair and have almost equal autonomy. If you'd rather not have to deal with families, crazy drug seekers, and don't mind dealing with vents and swans i would chose PACU. Otherwise ER.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.
PACU nurses and ED nurses are very similair and have almost equal autonomy. If you'd rather not have to deal with families, crazy drug seekers, and don't mind dealing with vents and swans i would chose PACU. Otherwise ER.

I have to qualify your statement to say to choose a large hospital based PACU if you don't wish to deal with families and drug seekers. Smaller hospitals and day surgery center PACUs have to deal with families and crazy drug seekers, also (about 1/2 of chronic pain patients getting steriod injections start same type of manipulation seen in the ED-only the PACU nurse does get a heads-up because the allergy band holds the clues).

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