Is PACU (recovery room?) good door to OR?

[tarotale]

Hi, I am really wishing to move from bedside to somewhat enjoyable specialty. I like ER but I am burnt out and would like to do something different than regular MS floors. From what I have observed as a student during my clinicals back in the day and as a new RN also back in the day, PACU nurse sits with a patient who just came out of procedure, takes vitals q 1-5 min, pain med, and chit chat.

I am by no means saying PACU is easier than other nursing or whatever, since "grass is greener" quote goes with all departments, and I'm sure dung hits the fan once in a while, but I want to escape floor and get into specialty. OR is one of specialties I want to get in (along with cath lab, GI lab) but I know they come by hard, and want to know if PACU is a good initial door to OR.

Also, have you enjoyed your PACU career so far?

[Nurse Sasha]

If your real goal is am OR position, you should focus on that. Make an appointment with the nurse manager of your OR to introduce yourself and find out if there are any open positions in the department. Ask how you could qualify for a job there, and if you could shadow another nurse in the OR to see if that would be a good fit for you. In our OR we have hired nurses from other areas of our hospital without OR experience. Please realize that OR nursing is a very different specialty area and is definitely NOT a easy piece of cake job. That being said, I love the OR and find it most rewarding, and different every day. Check out the AORN.org website for more in depth OR info. Best of luck to you!