Med/surg nights to days in outpatient PACU?

[ILBCNU]

I have worked med/surg nights for 15 years and am wanting a change. I have a friend who works outpatient PACU at a large area hospital. I told her I was getting tired of working med/surg floor and also tired of nights, but too scared to work med/surg days. She talked to her boss and her boss said she would consider hiring me and I put in my application which she is reviewing. I would love to hear some feedback from PACU nurses who have come from different areas of nursing and if they like working PACU. Is it stressful? Is it harder than working med/surg? Are the anesthesiologists difficult to work with? There is so many changes in computer charting to keep up with and patients continue to be sicker on the floor and I'm hoping for a less stressful area to work in. I also want to work in an area that I can feel I do a better job at and not feel like I'm being pulled in so many different directions at one time, which is what happens on the floor alot.

[brownbook]

Yes and no to most of your questions!!!!! You are not pulled in a lot of directions at once. Usually you only have 2 patients at one time.

Most anesthesiologists are really nice, friendly, helpful, easy to get along with. It is some surgeons who can be picky about how you are caring for their patient.

Do you have ACLS? It us usually required. ACLS isn't hard, I was just mentioning it for you to be aware of.

PACU, like most nursing, can be 90% routine no stress, and 10% life and death you'd better know what you are doing the patient is dying!!!!! (Usually the anesthesiologists is really close by to assist you.) But like I said that is true of most nursing units. You can have a patient suddenly go bad on a med/surg floor!!!!!

You might need to be "on call." That can be stressful. Even if you are called in for a simple case, sitting at home waiting, wondering, if they are going to call you in to work isn't fun. But it does bring in big bucks, some nurses love it!