Is being a post-op nurse the same as being a med/surg nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.

Hi. I have just recently took a job on a post op floor after working 2 years at a ltc.

I have done research but i have not found much information about post-op nurses. My nurse manage basically said we were a step down for surgical pt. I am guessing after they go through recovery. I did reserch on here but there is no speciality called post op. So i am wondering if it is with the med/surg speciality. Also if there are any nurse who work post-op are previously worked post-op I would glad appreciate any input you could give me. I have a friend who just started on a tele floor and she told me my job will be easy compare to hers but i dunno how easy a floor that take care of people after surgery can be loll. I think it would be a good learning floor.

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.

Is it a PACU? If so, it's definitely not the same as med/surg.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

This could either be PACU or a surgical floor. PACU is where the patient goes for immediate recovery after surgery. A surgical floor is where they go after PACU. A surgical floor is extremely busy with constant admissions and discharges, lots of pain meds and physically demanding(getting post ops out of bed can be a challenge, especially orthopedics). I've spent the majority of my nursing career on surgical floors. I love it, but it's hard on the body. You're girlfriend is VERY wrong if she thinks surgical is easy. LOL!

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.
This could either be PACU or a surgical floor. PACU is where the patient goes for immediate recovery after surgery. A surgical floor is where they go after PACU. A surgical floor is extremely busy with constant admissions and discharges, lots of pain meds and physically demanding(getting post ops out of bed can be a challenge, especially orthopedics). I've spent the majority of my nursing career on surgical floors. I love it, but it's hard on the body. You're girlfriend is VERY wrong if she thinks surgical is easy. LOL!

It is not PACU, so i am guessing it is a surgical floor. As far as orthropedics thank goodness we have a floor just for that at the hospital. I kinda figured that this would be busy floor. loll

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

I love surgical floors. But be prepared for the fast pace. It is possible in one shift to have 6-7 patients to start with, discharge 4 and get 4 back in(so by the end of the shift you have taken care of 11 people). It takes alot of time management. BUT you will learn ALOT that will give you a leg up on any future nursing positions.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Yes, it is basically it is med-surg unit but without the "med". You won't get patients with strictly medical diagnosis like "pneumonia", but you will get post op patients discharged from the recovery room, or transferred after a stay in ICU. Many of these patients will have medical problems, and develop medical problems. But others will simply need post op monitoring, pain control (#1 priority), mobilization and teaching.

Those units tend to be very busy with admissions, discharges and transfers from critical care units, so be prepared to rock and roll and work your patooty off. LOL

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Hi. I have just recently took a job on a post op floor after working 2 years at a ltc.

I have done research but i have not found much information about post-op nurses. My nurse manage basically said we were a step down for surgical pt. I am guessing after they go through recovery. I did reserch on here but there is no speciality called post op. So i am wondering if its with the med/surg speciality. Also if there are any nurse who work post-op are previously worked post-op I would glad appreciate any input you could give me. I have a friend who just started on a tele floor and she told me my job will be easy compare to hers but i dunno how easy a floor that take care of people after surgery can be loll. I think it would be a good learning floor.

First of all your friend who made a statement that post-op floor is easy compared to tele, is flat out WRONG! I work on a med-surg floor that cares mostly on patients who just had surgery....These patients will stay in the recovery room for 1-2 hours then they send them to us. The pace is fast, you also need to have good understanding on the type of surgery they had, the complications, and the post op assesment and teaching. Mind you there were times when I've gotten report from the PACU nurse telling me that the patient is stable...as soon as I receive the patient, guess what??? Patient lethargic and respiration shallow at 8-10 bpm ( anesthesia, oversadation....) sometimes we get post-op patients back to back....even when you tell the recovery room to give you time to receive and assess..they will still send these patients if not at the same time, only 5 minutes apart.....NOT SAFE! Sometimes you come on shift having 5 patients but 3 out of those patients are for discharge, which means you will have 3 admissions. I hate comparing specialty because I've also floated to other units in my hospital...NO FLOOR IS EVER EASY! I like med-surg and taking care of post op patients...this way I'm learning a lot and I'm exposed to different procedures...

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I agree with the others. I just took my first job out of school this summer on a post-op unit. It is VERY busy! We are also a tele unit, so we get pts on the monitor as well. We get alot of ED admits (prior to surgery), all surgeries except ortho and occasionally gyne, lots of ICU/CCU stepdowns and the pace is very fast! Just today my preceptor and I had 6 pts (I took 4, she had 2), - three were discharged by 10:30, 2 were complete cares (one in isolation, another on cardizem drip and monitor), and then we had a new post-op come up around noon. I am enjoying it and have been told by many other RNs in the hospital it is a great place to start b/c if you can take the pace there and learn to manage your time, you can work anywhere.

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.

Thanks everyone for the info. I am so excited about what i will learn and how i will grow as a nurse!!!

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.
Those units tend to be very busy with admissions, discharges and transfers from critical care units, so be prepared to rock and roll and work your patooty off. LOL

thanks, i am hoping I actually do work my big patooty off loll;)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
thanks, i am hoping I actually do work my big patooty off loll;)

I could use a little of that myself these days. :lol2:

Good luck!

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