Question for Recovery Nurses

[shyne]

I've graduated last May from nursing school and have been working on a stepdown/tele floor for almost 8 months now. I've been interested in impatient PACU and outpatient recovery since observing these areas during nursing school. I've have heard from many nurses that ICU/critical care is required for these types of positions. I don't have any critical care experience, but I currently work with patients who are on vents, trachs, tele monitoring and some cardiac drips ony my unit. I also plan to take ACLS in the next month or two since it is required for my unit. My question is would most outpatient or impatient recovery units consider hiring someone with a year of experience of the above? I would appreciate any imput or advice.

Tracy

[RN34TX]

I've graduated last May from nursing school and have been working on a stepdown/tele floor for almost 8 months now. I've been interested in impatient PACU and outpatient recovery since observing these areas during nursing school. I've have heard from many nurses that ICU/critical care is required for these types of positions. I don't have any critical care experience, but I currently work with patients who are on vents, trachs, tele monitoring and some cardiac drips ony my unit. I also plan to take ACLS in the next month or two since it is required for my unit. My question is would most outpatient or impatient recovery units consider hiring someone with a year of experience of the above? I would appreciate any imput or advice.

Tracy

I work in PACU and you are most definitely starting in the right direction if you want to be a PACU nurse.

Stepdown/tele is an excellent place to start to get experience.

But from there you need to move to ICU, preferably SICU, although I moved to PACU after working in MICU and I did fine.

These suggestions are not written in stone, but they are the best way to increase your chances of getting hired in, and being successful in a PACU setting. Some of my co-workers did not have any ICU experience prior to PACU and they are still great PACU nurses.

However, even in the midst of a nursing shortage, PACU positions can be very competitive and most desire prior ICU experience before they will hire you. This is why I say to move to ICU when the time is right.

But take your time and don't rush. You haven't even been an RN for a year and I doubt any PACU will hire you for a while until you get some more experience.

As far as outpatient/day surgery types of positions, I really can't give any advice there. They don't do any type of ICU patients so if that's where you want to go, I'm not really sure what they look for in hiring nurses.

I do know that at my hospital, they most certainly won't take any type of cardiac patients that you are already taking care of. No drips, no tele.

Their patients are going home the same day of surgery and need to be quite healthy to meet their criteria.

[amnesia]

It sounds like you are getting started in the right direction. I guess that with regards to doing PACU now it would depend on the acuity levels of your patient populations. If you plan on doing same-day I would think your experienc would be applicable, however if your patients are primarily ICU, than I would suggest getting hands on experience in a unit first. Even though you say you have vented patients with some drips, there is really no substitute for having a good SOLID knowledge base in critical care before PACU. I am glad to hear you are interested in this area of nursing. I really love PACU nursing because of the variety of skills you get to use. Our hospital is a Level One center so we get the sickest of the sick and every day presents with something new and challenging. I have never regretted having ICU experience before my career in PACU. It just made things so much easier in this FAST paced and challenging environment where you have to be able to assess and intervene on a moments notice. Good luck !