Just got Hired into Inpatient PACU!

[NurseVN]

I graduated in May 2010 and have been working part time as an RN since the day I passed my board at a Rehabilitation Center. After six months, I finally landed a position in a New Grad Versant program to work full time in an inpatient PACU of a great hospital. According to my PACU manager, my orientation will include classroom and preceptorship and will be a year long though other new grads on other floors will have only 5 months. My first month will be classroom and then I will also orient briefly in ICU and ER but mainly in PACU. She said I won't take calls (meaning no nights and weekends) for my first year or until whenever I feel confident and competent enough and she will support me to make sure I learn as much as I could. Everyone seems nice and welcoming. I love that. I will work 730-4 pm M-F with a preceptor for the first year. I am the first new grad they take so they are very excited. According to this WONDERFUL manager, usually one needs ICU or other floor experiences before one can transfer to PACU. I am SUPER excited and already purchased 2 books on PACU and hemodynamic monitoring (Peri-Anethesia Nursing: a critical care approach & Hemodynamics Monitoring Incredibly Easy) to read because this residency won't start until March. My question is: if I don't like PACU and would like to transfer back to other floors (maybe med surge or tele), will I be able to? I mean I love to stay in the PACU but just in case it's not my niche, do I have options? I'm afraid that PACU is too specialized...

Thank you!

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

That's a good question; many PACU nurses just don't want to work anywhere else, and speaking for myself, it's far too easy to get a bit "rusty." The best advice I can give you is to make sure you stay up to date with refresher courses (if possible) or alternatively, in-service training and lectures on various techniques.

You may even find that you would like to learn more about theater and anaesthesia, and observing or assisting the circulating nurses (if time and slate permits) is a great way to learn.

Congratulations, it sounds like you've landed a plum job! :)

[azhiker96, BSN, RN]

I worked pediatric PACU for a year but then switched back to the adult PACU because I was losing my adult skills. The kids were basically healthy but the adults keep me on my toes with multiple issues.