Inpatient PACU hours

[bekahboo, BSN, RN]

Hello! I am an ICU nurse that is really interested in making a transition to inpatient PACU. I was wondering if anyone out there who currently is inpatient PACU can tell me how your hours are structured, how many weekends you work, and what on call looks like? I know everywhere will vary but I just want to get an idea. Thanks :)

[brownbook]

PACU nurse hours vary from institution to institution and with how big the hospital is, how many OR cases they do a day.

For the smaller hospital I worked in PACU nurses were scheduled to work from 7- 3:30 Mon. to Fri. Then a nurse was scheduled on call from 3:30 pm to 7 am. For the weekends and holidays a nurse was scheduled on call for 24/7 hour coverage. The weekend coverage would vary, usually 12 hours "shifts" of being on call until 7am Monday morning.

When your job requires being on call get in writing how it will work.

If you work your normal 8 hour shift, then end up being called in from 9 that night until 7 the next morning. Are you expected to work that next day, your regularly scheduled 8 hour shift, or are you given off?

Find how how to put in requests for vacations or days you cannot be put on call.

I did not have to take call often. I worked with crazy co-workers who loved the big bucks being on call, and called in, added to their pay checks. So when the call schedule came out they would beg me to give them my call! So how many weekends I worked wasn't "normal".

[bekahboo, BSN, RN]

I have an interview coming up, so this is really helpful! Thanks.

[brownbook]

Sure, I loved PACU, but I am sure not having to take call often helped me love it.

As I said when they offer you the job be sure to get some of the on call hours details in writing!