PACU, Cath lab, OR, GI Lab - which job to do next?

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Hello everyone! I need some advice! I will have been an RN for two years in June this year. I did one year on an oncology post-surgical progressive care unit and now am an ER nurse working nights with both. I am moving in July and think I'm gonna try another avenue of nursing! I really do like the ER but I would like to switch to a new job that I can work days and have a little less stress and I'm not running around with my head cut off haha. I can handle the stress but doesn't mean I necessarily want it! At my current job I rarely even get a lunch break. So I'm thinking that if I can have a lower pt:nurse ratio that could help? AND I really want to LOVE my job - still trying to find my passion ?

I like the surgery aspect and not having to deal with pts for an extended period of time. So all you PACU, Cath Lab, OR, GI Lab nurses. What do you like/dislike about your jobs? Whats the workflow like? How much on call do you take? What should I look out for/what questions should I ask before taking a job? Or does anyone have a different idea for a job??? Thanks!!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Check out the articles and FAQs in the OR forum- there's been a few very long threads about the OR side of things with a wealth of varying experiences. The type of setting will very much change the answers to your questions.

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LOVED the OR. What I really enjoyed was the fact that I had a single patient who required and deserved my full attention. I worked and lead the open heart team for years. Those cases were long and relatively routine.

Short in and out cases are very stressful and absolutely wore me out. But, then again, I worked when dinosaurs roamed the earth and it was all on paper back then.

I felt good about the work that I did. Since we worked with the same team every day, I still maintain these friends and relationships with the nurses and docs.

GI lab doesn't sound appealing. It could be your niche and it's probably a M-F job.

Cath lab always had an appeal for me. I used hang out there some when we had some down time.

Best of luck!

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You would mainly be working days in the positions you are interested in. But some facilities do have late shifts, even 3 - 11.

Call really varies. I seldom took call because my coworkers wanted the extra money it entailed. I was thankful for that. I hated call.

An OR nurse mainly deals with an unconscious patient. Your "patient" is the OR room, the surgeon, anesthesiologist, scrub tech. Just something to think about if you like patient interaction. I've only done moderate sedation in the OR, I am not an OR nurse.

PACU is critical care nursing, but the patients are "scheduled". You know ahead of time what you're getting. You have time to prepare for your patient and hopefully get a heads that the 10:00 hysteroscopy turned into an open hysterectomy, the patient weighs 200 pounds, they had to put in an art line, they're intubated, etc. Routinely you only have the patient 1-2 hours and they're off to med/surg or ICU.

GI is fun, generally less critical care, but an active GI bleeder or other emergencies do happen.

I know nothing about Cath labs.

Depending on the facility, some can be poorly run, you're lucky to get a lunch break and often work overtime.

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Specializes in Cath Lab.

Cath lab is very high stress with a lot of on call. The on call cases are pretty emergent and even higher stress. You can come in to work at 0700, stay until 9pm, get called in at midnight, be back home at 0300, get called back in at 0500 and stay until 7pm again. It is very rewarding and good money, but if you are looking for less stress it is not a good place to go for that.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Cath lab can be very stressful depending on the hospital. PACU sounds cool. Those jobs are hard to come by because once people get in they tend to stay. OR also sounds interesting. One patient. Get to scrub and circulate.

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Totally relate. I am in medsurg and feel the same way. I feel everything is rushed , I can handle it but I don't want to. I have 0 desire to.  What did you decide? Happy with your decision? 

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