Fellowship: PACU or OR?

[nursey_nurse13]

Hi all! I am a third year nurse looking to change paths. I did ICU my first year of nursing, and then went to school nursing for the last two years. Although I enjoyed my time in the school setting, I am looking to go back to the hospital for a 6 month nurse fellowship due to some unexpected financial issues that have came up.

The two paths I am still deciding on is OR vs PACU. What are some pro's and con's to each? To the nurses in that field, do you think it will be hard for me to transition after being away from the hospital for a couple of years? 

Thank you guys!

 

 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

The OR is going to come with a very steep learning curve because it's so different from every other kind of nursing out there. I'm biased. I love the OR. But for you to make the choice, I recommend shadowing and focusing on the actual work of the nurse, not necessarily watching the surgery itself. 

Pros:

• 1 patient at a time getting all of your focus
• Amazing teams and you are never alone in the room
• Most shifts are day shift because no one wants to schedule surgery at 3am. If surgery is happening at 3am, it's truly because the patient can't wait. 

Cons:

• Strong personalities seem to be attracted to the OR
• Call can be a lot depending on how much you're expected to cover. Bigger ORs tend to staff after hours and have more people to share the wealth