PACU RN experience helpful?

Hello MallysMama,

PACU and the OR are really two separate specialties. I currently have worked in PACU for 4 years. The myriad of your work will involve anesthesia with some surgical undertones. In my honest opinion the PACU experience wont make you any more of an asset. Your job in PACU is to address the patient after anesthesia delivery and ensure an adequate recovery (airway, pain, wound management). If surgery is your calling I suggest you take an OR job. You'll need to know sutures, blades, electrocaudery, etc. None of this is done in PACU. I couldnt tell you what blade they need to excise a skin lesion or what type of sutures or technique would be appropriate for a specific wound. What I can tell you is that I need a bipap for a patient who has OSA and shallow breathing and is now at risk for C02 narcosis.

You can always take a first assist course once you are done with your NP. PA's have it built into their program. Surgical NP's is somewhat of a new thing but its not unheard of. NP's historically have been more of a medical care provider rather than surgical. I hope this helps answer your question.

Thank you!

I plan on doing first assist training after graduation. I just wasn't sure if PACU experience would benefit the NP part of the job. I hope to manage the patients after the OR too- I don't want to give up that part of being an NP. I want it all! 😉 So- would having PACU experience help with post-op management as an NP?

Thankfully my program has given us the chance to do some surgery rotations (which is how I discovered my "calling"). So I've already had a bit of training - though I'm sure no where near what a PA gets!

Oh- and I can't take an RN OR job (as much as I would love to). Since I have no prior OR experience, they would expect a lengthy full-time training. I simply don't have the time to do that- between classes and clinical hours and family time, I can't work full time. Switching to PACU would require much less training.

You really have to look at what the role of the NP compared to that of a PACU nurse. Being a PACU nurse you will know the proceedure and the anesthesia technique. As an NP this wont really impact your ability to write orders for this patient as your overarching goal should be to get the patient better and plan for discharge. I really thing just doing your job as an NP and working with whatever group it is would help you better understand what is expected of you. PACU experience could help a little with knowing proceedures and expected outcomes.

I too and just about to enter NP school. At first I wanted to be a CRNA but eventually decided against it. NP was more down the lifestyle I wanted for myself and my family. I started in the ER, which really gave me a good foundation to move anywhere I wanted. I chose PACU due to me wanting to do anesthesia. working with all of the specialties that do surgery helps you to develop a rapport with those surgeons. This is what lead me to pursue NP and eventually work in Urology. Does my PACU experience help with understanding the Post-OP patient in any setting and eventually Urology? You bet! It's really how you want to look at it.

Thanks for sharing your point of view!

I have a urology rotation coming up in 2 weeks. I'm not looking forward to it! 😞

Good luck on beginning your NP journey!!

I am in the same shoes now and would love to hear what you decided and how your career has been going! I added you as a friend just now : )