ICU to ORTHOPEDICS

reisling · Mar 18, 2009

are you serious?????? Years ago when I was a new grad I almost quit working because of all the chronic pain crazies on the ortho floor. They would all stand outside of their doors, whine my name, and call for their pain meds. you could set your watch by them. Oh and don't forget all the sleepers you had to give along with the pain meds. Stay in the ICU. they may be crazy too but at least we can intubate them and put them on a propofol drip.

PAERRN20 · Mar 18, 2009

I am interested to hear the replies. I am also considering a move- not from ICU though.....from ER to rehab. Sounds like stress and work levels are a problem for you too.

LilyBlue · Mar 18, 2009

I've worked all units as a float nurse. I will say that orhtopedics, for ME and my personality, one of the worst possible floors.

akosiba · Mar 18, 2009

ICU is the best.

jollydogg_RN, ADN, BSN · Mar 18, 2009

I'm only an extern on a urology/orthopaedic floor, so I can give you some of my input on the ortho side.

I notice a lot of the nurses are stressed because a lot of the ortho patients are in pain and want pain medications. Of course, a lot of the call lights going off are because the patients dont know when their next doses are due.

Its just the luck of the draw. More often than not, you'll get patients who are in major pain from the knee replacements, hip replacements. Sometimes they wont call out once.

I could imagine a whole FLOOR being dedicated to ortho being more stressful. Sometimes we get mostly ortho patients, and its stressful because you can tell by the nurses griping about patients wanting their pain meds

lpnflorida · Mar 18, 2009

I have been floated many many times to orthopedics. While I love the staff , it is my least favorite floor to go to. Pain meds.. wow unbelieveable. The incredible pace of 15 admissions on a Monday don't forget discharges,,, after prescheduled surgeries.. There is no enough money to make me want to work their fulltime.

RNperdiem, RN · Mar 18, 2009

Hopefully you will have enough CNA help to help you move people. Most of these folks cannot just get up to the bathroom or to the chair.

I was a CNA on an ortho floor and spent a lot of time assisting patients to the bathroom and up to the chair.

In ICU, you take 30 seconds to empty the foley bag; on the floor you take 10 minutes to assist someone to the bathroom.

To get along well from ICU to ortho, you will need to be skilled delegating to and working with CNAs. You won't last long without them.

iahi_2005 · Mar 18, 2009

Wow...Looks like i would need lot of help from CNAs...by the way i will be night shift in ortho would that make a difference?

jollydogg_RN, ADN, BSN · Mar 18, 2009

for sure. that extern position in urology/ortho is a night shift. ive worked a few day shifts, and the difference is (no pun intended) night and day.

day shift is more demanding, such as dealing with meals, helping patients to and from the bedside or into the bathroom or bedpan. just general daytime activity for ortho patients is where MOST of the frustration lies.

and god help you if you have an ortho patient who uses the BSC that is given a suppository =( le sigh.