PACU Staffing Examples

emilyhbusch · Aug 18, 2016

0I am looking for PACU RN's to help me create a new PACU staffing schedule that includes 8, 10, and 12 hour shifts and/or 8, and 12 hour shifts. My manager is willing to look at a new schedule with mixed shift lengths if I submit one, if anyone can please help out!!

We just changed our staffing to everyone working 8 hour shifts. Previously we had 8s, 10s, and 12s. We are also on call 24 hours every 4th weekend and two night shifts (2300-0730) about every 3rd week. Previously we had 8s, 10s, and 12s. Our staffing now is staggered start times as follows 730, 830, 9, 915, 10, 1030, 11, 12, and 245. The amount of staff starting at these times is as follows
730 1 nurse
830 1 nurse (this is our manager, which i do not believe follows ASPAN guidelines because she may not always be available when a patient is in recovery eg if she has a meeting.)
900 2 nurses
1000 1 nurse
1030 1 nurse
1100 1 nurse
1445 2 nurses
Only 7 nurses are full times, the rest are PRN. 3 days a week we have a 1600-1115 nurse and a PRN nurse who can work 1630-2030 as needed.

Since we have started this new schedule we have been on hold to the OR everyday for 3 weeks because we do not have the staff to take patients. One day we were on hold to 6 rooms at once, which is unacceptable.

Any help would be great! The more in depth would also be great!!

AddT

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 18, 2016

Moved to the PACU Nursing forum for more responses.

HeySis, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2016

Sorry, This is probably not what you are looking for.

We have 8, 10 and 12 hour shifts. We are scheduled based on the normal OR schedules for that specific day of the week (IE. Tuesdays we have lots of T & A that start early and turn over fast) so more people come in earlier that day. And how many OR rooms are going to be running, one PACU RN per OR and then a tech that stays in the PACU to help set patients up, get ice packs.... she works 8:30-4 most days.

Our manager is never considered as one of those RN's. She's great and would help out if she could, but she oversees more then the PACU and gets pulled into meetings... basically she has her own work to do (and I'm glad not to have to do it!)

But our schedules are also constantly in flux. For instance I could be scheduled to come in at 10am and then the night before get asked to come at 8, 8:30 or 9 the next day, based on the OR schedule updates.

So flexibility is the name of the game in our PACU. It's not for everyone, but I like it. I also never really pay attention to what time I get off, because that also changes... if there are cancelations I may go home early, if there are add ons, I may be later.

But it will be between 7am-7pm. From 7pm-7am goes to on call. Out of each 8 week period you'll have on call once a week for 7 of those and one week without any call... unless your switching it around with someone. We have a staff of eight.

brownbook · Sep 9, 2016

Our charge nurse adjusts the staffing schedule every afternoon around 2:00 pm. We are expected to be flexible, we do not have "set" start times. She knows who has small kids, day care, can't start before 8:30, etc., we are adults and work out what works best for us.

She writes down the time patients are due to come to PACU per the OR schedule.

She adds up how many patients due out at what time. Four due out at 8:30, 3 due out at 9:00, 5 due out at 10:00, etc. And adjusts the schedule accordingly. Maybe 2 nurses start at 8:00, 3 start at 9:00, etc,

Every day your start time may vary within an hour or so. Maybe several days you start at 7:30, then several days you start at 9:00. Some staff are told when they are hired they will be the later nurses. Their start time can vary from 11:00 to 14:00.

We do have a lot of extra help, per diem staff, which helps fill in the gaps, busy days vs slow days, are willing to work a 4 hour shift to cover a short busy period, or lunch times, etc.,