PACU Nursing?

ICU is an excellent starting point for PACU. I am happy to see that your PACU does not accept new grads. Ours has in the past, and they have had more difficult transitions. Of course, I am one of those nurses who thinks that the med-surg floor is the best starting point for ICU nursing unless the new grad has had some sort of summer extern program. (or there is a VERY good internship).

Anyway..learn your meds, learn your airway. PACU is all about airway and pain control. But don't forget the "basics" like patient interaction, positioning and such.

PACU is a very fast paced area. Most nurses who transfer in are surprised at how fast we do everything because of patient turnover. I have patients in and out in 30 minutes sometimes. So I can't be a slow charter. I have to do rapid assessments. Concise reports. And sometimes receive another patient in the meantime! (rarely) We also give lots of pain meds. Over a short period of time. Don't be scared off. They can handle it. As long as you have properly assessed your patient!

More advice: Float to SICU if you can to see surgical interventions. Know your airway. Be comfortable placing oral airways, performing jaw thrusts and giving a little positive pressure ventilation every now and then. Oh, and get used to emesis... :barf01:

I love PACU nursing. Hope you love your MICU job, and will give PACU a shot as well.

C

Also a new grad interested in PACU myself. I have been hired on to the ICU of the hospital that i work for because they dont hire new grads in the PACU. The internship seemd to be a good one i am to spend about 2-3 months in the Cardiac stepdown before they even let me on the ICU floor. I think however i am more interested in becoming a PACU nurse than staying in the ICU. How long should i wait to make the transition? Also why do most CRNA programs not include PACU as experience in critical care? Thanks for the other info.

most CRNA programs don't include PACU as ICU experience because we don't give the meds that one in an MICU would. In an ICU, a nurse gives drugs and fluids that manipulate fluid status, BP, electrolytes, oxygenation, etc. All this on a regular basis. We do it, but on a sporadic basis. We do more emergency interventions for post op complications, airway management, pain control, hypothermia treatment and such. Someone needs long term pressors or a day on the vent, off to ICU they go!

C

The programs in our area at one time only accepted ICU, as a pre-req for CRNA school. However, a shortage in CRNA's has changed their pre-req to 1 yr of PACU, ICU or ER experience.

We don't have new grads in our PACU either. However, I came out of school and went to the ER as a new grad, stayed 7 years then came to PACU.

I strongly recommend a year of ICU. Even better would be a yr of med-surg and then a yr of ICU/SICU, that way you get a good base under your belt. Joey, it sounds like you have found yourself an excellent intership program and as long as you perservere and do not get discouraged, I think you will find the transition into PACU rewarding. Good luck.

Christie