overnight patients in the PACU

[thekimbermac]

I recently had a job interview for a PACU position at my current hospital. I have been a Trauma Surgical ICU nurse for 14 years and was really excited at taking on a new challenge BUT...Prior to the interview when being showed around the PACU it was revealed that this position was to care for the PACU Overnight or PONs area, which is a corner of the PACU for patients waiting for a bed, this is a med/surg tele job and depending on census you may be in this area alone. When I questioned about break relief and med waste they said "well you are a part of the PACU so you can just grab one of them if you need anything" seems kinda fishy to me like the PACU nurses are tired of taking their turn with these patients so they are staffing just for this area even though you are part of one large unit. Am I paranoid feeling like this is red flag and in the PACU pecking order I would be not be considered their peer? I would like to think my 14 years as a Trauma SICU nurse would be experience a PACU would value instead of being told this positing is for our overnight patients so it's med/surg tele and in 1-2 years you can move into the "real" PACU. I realize that going into any new specialty after so many years might involve "paying your dues" all over again but having never worked PACU I don't know if this is the norm or a way to make current PACU nurses happy by giving the part of the job they hate to someone else. Any insight from PACU nurses would be great since I'm considering withdrawing my candidacy for this position.

[brownbook]

I don't like the sound of it. Are you going to be permanently scheduled some kind of 11 pm to 7 am shift? Or will you get some "regular" PACU hours and duties but when there is an overnight you will be scheduled for that?

We do overnight patients. The surgeon must tell us several days in advance so we can schedule our staff. There are a few nurses who are hired for that shift, and a few who will do it in a pinch. We are a free standing out patient surgery clinic so there can't be one nurse. It is always one nurse and one CNA. Med wastes are done when the day shift comes into work.

Since your PACU is part of the hospital I assume anesthesia is always available immediately if you need help, hopefully you are not completely alone?

Anyway it sounds kind of like a dump. You could be "stuck" with being the "overnight" nurse for several years?

Ask a lot more questions and get the answers in writing before you take this job.

[NurseLenaPACU]

Hmm...I'm pretty sure that according to ASPAN standards there need to be 2 RN's in the PACU at all times, even for boarders that are waiting for a bed on the floor....anyways with the ICU experience you have any PACU would be happy to have you without "putting in your dues" getting stuck overnights first. i would consider looking elsewhere.

[Smauf]

I realize this post is from July 3, so I imagine you've already made your decision, but you should never have to wait 1-2 years for a "real" PACU position. Most PACU's I've worked in only require 2 years of ICU experience, so you are more than qualified. Some will hire new grads and train them if they are desperate, though it's fairly rare. With your experience you should be able to apply to a full-time dayshift PACU job in the hospital without having to "put in your dues".

It does sound fishy what you're describing. If they cannot produce a written policy on what you'll be doing, who will be wasting your narcs, who will be relieving you for lunch etc. then I would avoid it. I've met too many managers that will say whatever they think you want to hear, but once you come on board their attitude changes and all of a sudden you are doing all sorts of things you didn't sign up for.