Is working pre-op in ambulatory surg really all that bad?

[quazar]

I have always had this perhaps misguided thought that working in an ambulatory surgery center pre-op would be a pretty decent job. Ever since I had outpatient surgery myself a few years ago and the nurse there talked to me about how much she loved the hours and work load, that seed that she planted took root and has never stopped growing.

There is an opening in an ASC for their pre-op area, and although I'm not a med surg or surgical nurse, I do pre-op and surgery in my specialty, be it somewhat limited in scope.

Would I be nuts to apply? The thought of working only day shift with no weekends, nights, holidays, or on call is so appealing to me it's crazy.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

You would be nuts not to apply.

[brownbook]

It is wonderful. It is like living//working in Disneyland for nurses, except it is closed at nights, on weekends, and holidays. The patients are healthy and usually happy to have their "minor" surgical procedure done.

You would be nuts to not apply.

[quazar]

Oh! Well! Okay then....well that's good, guess I'll click the ol' "apply" button then. :)

[Marisette, BSN, RN]

Go ahead and apply, but do ask about training and make your needs and expectations clear to your future employer. I recently left my old employer for a job I thought I wanted to do with great hours and no on calls. It's not an ambulatory surgery employer. However, I find the grass is not always greener in the other side. Make sure you go with a large reputable provider of services.

My employer expected me to start working on my own after 4 days of training, although they told me training would depend on my needs. I was thinking 4-6 weeks. They also failed to tell me that my trainer requested FMLA and there was no one available to train me. Sometimes, employers just lie. Move ahead, but keep your eyes wide open, ask questions and ask to shadow or meet nurses who actually do the job before accepting. Make sure they are welcoming , don't appear overwhelmed and short staff and that they are willing to train a new employee. There is nothing worse than starting a new job and finding "the culture" and the work environment of a new employer is not what you were told, or hoped for.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

If you worked at my ASC, you would think you had died and gone to heaven. At least that's what all our new-hire RN's tell us.