Nursing Units In order of Stress Levels

massrn116 · Mar 1, 2009

Where I work it and I have floated,worked or cross trained to most:

stress lab, surgical day care, PACU, cardiac rehab ( sorry kind of boring),ICU, ER, med-surg ( med-surg because of all the turn over in a shift alone, a lot of patients and so little time for everything) Listed in the least stress to the most.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2009

Units low in stress level?

None.

RNperdiem, RN · Mar 2, 2009

I have not found any units with "really low" levels of stress. Even simply "low" levels of stress, I have never worked.

Now, there are shifts where I have low stress levels because of the condition and attitude of the patients. It counterbalances those shifts of high stress.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Mar 2, 2009

Psych was the lowest for me, then postpartum/nursery, pediatrics, labor and delivery, med surg, and ER was the highest stress. ICU has boring times, and tear your hair out times. Probably in larger hospitals it's more consistently stressful. Psych was constant rounds, and paperwork. I just can't get that worked up over paperwork.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Mar 2, 2009

Psych can be low stress but it can also be extreme stress, depending on what's going on, and how sick the patients are, just like any other type of unit.

Jolie, BSN · Mar 2, 2009

I think this will depend upon one's interests and experiences. No 2 nurses have the exact same interests and experience, so no 2 will give the same answer.

For me, NICU is as low stress as it can be, simply because I'm comfortable there. ER and psych would be the absolute worst in my mind, but probably not to the next poster :)

busymother24 · Mar 2, 2009

I have to agree with Valerie...none!

Irene joy · Mar 2, 2009

I'll probably be shot for this but I recently spent some time in the mother/baby unit and boy did it seem quiet and slow. The nurses had things to do but they were'nt rushing around and the patients are all pretty much healthly.

leslie :-D · Mar 2, 2009

I think this will depend upon one's interests and experiences. No 2 nurses have the exact same interests and experience, so no 2 will give the same answer.
For me, NICU is as low stress as it can be, simply because I'm comfortable there. ER and psych would be the absolute worst in my mind, but probably not to the next poster :)

really, it's all subjective, isn't it?

and, i think i'd be more "stressed" on a slow-paced unit, since i operate best with the adrenaline rush.

all a matter of perspective.

leslie

sunray12 · Mar 2, 2009

It sounds like you want to pick a job based on this thread and I don't see how that's possible. What other people find stressful might be a piece of cake for you and and on the other hand what doesn't stress other people might feel like your worst nightmare. Unless someone knows you very well they can't predict what will be "easy" for you. Your better bet is to go by how you feel when you go into different units during clinicals and externships, etc.

LilyBlue · Mar 2, 2009

I've been a float nurse and worked every unit - I would have to say highest stress was PCU and med surg. BEcause that's where the highest patio/nurse ratios are in my hospital.