Same Day Surgery Units

[annmariern]

Hi.

I am currently approaching 18 months on a Med/surg/ortho floor. I had been out of acute care for several years, and needed the refresher, but after 17 years of nursing, fing that this job has totally wiped me out. Just too little support, too many responsiblitities for the RN, and something I have been surprised at really, too much craziness/demands from patients and families. Maybe its the area, but I am so fried with working myself to death only to have abuse hurled at you for your efforts. I was thinking of same day surgery. Have never worked in that area, wondering if anyone here does or has and could give me an idea or what to expect. Thanks.

[Keely-FutureRN]

Hi! I am a nurse assistant on the Same Day Surgery Unit/ PACU. I worked on the step-down cardiac unit previously on the floor and find it to be a lot less stressful. Alot of the nurses I work with said that they were getting burnt out and that this unit has been a life saver. It's a lot calmer for one. We are open on weekday's and off weekends which is nice. You get to talk with patients, reassure them about their surgery, and do all your nursing duties, etc. but the amount of patients you have are controlled and my unit is very well staffed so your not running around with your head cut off. I also like PACU because it's a lot of patient care. You don't establish a long term relationship (which can be good or bad). Some of the OR nurses I work with say they love OR because they don't have to deal with the regular things a floor nurse does,the patient just comes in, they operate, they leave. I'm not a nurse, but as an aide I can say that I enjoy it. It doesn't have that critical "life or death" feel to it.

Keely

[Geeg]

I disliked my short time in same day surgery. I felt like I was under a microscope. If the pt was 2 min late for the OR, everyone was on my back wanting to know why, etc. Too many families, and god forbid you didn't get the line on the first try!!! I returned to my place in ICU and amazingly, find it more enjoyable.

[underwatergirl]

I have worked two different same day surgery centers...one was plastic surgery the other was ortho surgery.

I have to say I loved them both...previous poster is right, time is money in these places and keeping a schedule is important...

However, in plastic surgery, would do pre-op, or, post-op, it was a great variety, I like face paced, keeping to a schedule is great. I worked the same in the ortho, I enjoyed both for their unique's, I liked tummy-tucks, meniscus repairs, shoulders, CTR, trigger fingers, Breast Argumentation, Lipo-Suction.

IMO, a good same day surgery nurse is...one who is competant and confident in his/her skills, is organized, can keep to a schedule, enjoys being busy during the working hours. Enjoys meeting several different kinds of patients.

For instance at ortho...this is the schedule...had 15 minutes to unrobe pt. start IV, sign consent, verify site, any preping(shaving), instructions to care giver of patient...then to the OR, transfer pt. to OR table, assist Anesthesiologist, assisting circulator with beginning prep (body position) etc. Then back in pre-op, clean up, bring next patient in...be prepared to return to OR to assist moving pt. from OR table to recovery room. Now of course each individual roles were different...I was the pre-admissions nurse...so I dealt with pre-op and pre-surgery H&H like labs and ekg's...so it was busy but awesome.

The hardest was CTR day (carpal tunnel release) cause the actually surgery was 15 min tops...so you really had to move then...LOL

I worked with one nurse who was extremely intelligent, however wasn't confident in her skills and understanding a patient can go home sleepy...she struggles with it.

I say try it, but don't do it at a hospital, find a clinic that does it...individual not hospital owned...I believe those are nicer and more "family orientated"

Hope that helps, any questions just ask...