PACU nurse taking ICU pts

[Zoe Wilk]

I am a PACU nurse. When there are no ICU beds, ICU pts come out of OR to PACU. We are expected to care for these ICU pts until a bed becomes available. Now, I have no ICU experience. Our unit will send us to a critical care class during orientation, but this hardly leaves anyone feeling prepared to care for ICU pts. Is my license on the line for accepting these patients? 

[offlabel]

Lot's of pacu's receive patients that will be admitted to the ICU. Where I am, any ICU bound patient that is extubated in the OR comes to PACU first. The reason is so that post op issues can be seen to by anesthesia more easily and if a return to the OR is necessary, can be done with much less hassle. ICU's are not set up for the particular problems of an extubated fresh post op patient. All things being equal, things can happen far more quickly in the PACU than the ICU with these specific patients. So the answer to your question is 'no'.