Vascular/general surgical PCU nurses

martymoose, BSN, RN · Sep 12, 2016

well , since no one is answering you yet....

How do you like your job? sometimes yes, mostly no

How stressful is the job and hoe do you cope? extremely stressful, not coping well at all, as I am looking for other work.

Do you have a great team working with you? For the most part. manager is oblivious tho, which is one of the main factors in the stress.

What advice would you give a new nurse on your unit/floor? get your one year in, then get out.

Are there any dos/don'ts codes in your unit/floor? not really.

Could you kindly tell me a good book to use as a resource? Not books per se, but reputable internet resources, such as you could find peer reviewed info . Google scholar , for example . Or ned line, etc.

good luck.

MSNAdvocate2008 · Sep 13, 2016

Thanks for your response. Is it really as bad as you say it is? Please tell me more about why it is that bad in your opinion. What type of PCU do you work in? For how long have you worked their and have you worked anywhere else before this unit? If it really as bad you say it is, I really hope you have moved on and are happy with your change. I still have to believe that there are other nurses with opposite experiences out there. Anyone?

cocoa_puff · Sep 13, 2016

1) I absolutely hate it, actually I don't like nursing much at all.

2) Extremely stressful for me, I don't cope very well (crying, not sleeping/eating, planning my exit strategy currently)

3) I do have a great team, that is the one good thing about my job

4) For new nurses: Ask for help, you will need it.

Best of luck, I would not choose PCU (or nursing) again if I knew what I do now.

MSNAdvocate2008 · Sep 20, 2016

Well, I think my interview went well. Am waiting to hear any news in the next 2-3 weeks. Overall, I think I did a great job and am very proud. Regardless of the outcome

martymoose, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

Well, I think my interview went well. Am waiting to hear any news in the next 2-3 weeks. Overall, I think I did a great job and am very proud. Regardless of the outcome

good luck!

Wheaties · Sep 20, 2016

what does pcu stand for? I'm thinking either patient care unit or progressive care unit. I still get confused with some of these acronyms

MSNAdvocate2008 · Sep 20, 2016

Thank you!

MSNAdvocate2008 · Sep 20, 2016

The job I interviewed for was a Progressive Care Unit. The nurse coordinator and nurse manager told me it was a step down ICU. A lot of behavioral questions which I think is a nice way to figure out what kind of a person you are in real life. Visualizing the incident as I talked to both of them helped a lot. When I was preparing for the interview a lot of my research advised against talking too much...the nurse coordinator actually advised me to, as long as it is relevant to the situation you are talking about because it helps to cover all areas. In his opinion, they don't know where you are going with the story or what you are thinking. When you give details, they might see a whole different picture in the end from what they had initially visualized.

For example; Tell me about a time you had to deal with a tough situation at work and how you dealt with it.

At this point, you talk about the situation, what the background of the situation was, what steps you took, and what was the outcome. I was told people always forget that part. They need to know if you were successful/not. If not, continue to talk about why you think things didn't work and how you think you would have handled it differently. Real life situations were easy. We have all taken the NCLEX and it was similar...who do you see first, second, and so forth. Then state what assessments you would take with each patient, you might have a diagnosis; for example, a pt with a hx of CHF now has SOB, weight gain of 3lbs etc, then what your plans, interventions, and evaluations are.

I liked it it to say the truth and am hopeful. When I was brought to see the nurse manager, the entire unit knew an applicant was coming. It was so cool! We'll see what happens.

Wheaties · Sep 20, 2016

I used to work pcu or step down nights. For 2 years. Mostly medsurg tele

How do you like your job? I'm partial. I don't like nor hate it. I wish it was easier. I want an easy nursing job. Acute care is demading.

How stressful is the job and hoe do you cope? It's demanding and often times stressful. Constant downgrade in patient status to medsurg or tele, high patient turnovers as a result. And these parents are really sick most often.m

Do you have a great team working with you? The nursing assistant and supervisors and charge nurse are great. That's one reason I worked there for nearly a decade despite the demand of the job.

What advice would you give a new nurse on your unit/floor? As another person suggested. Work, be patient, gain your experience for 1 year and go somewhere else that you want whether it be in another hospital or department.

Are there any dos/don'ts codes in your unit/floor? No, just follow the policies and procedures.

Could you kindly tell me a good book to use as a resource? I would take notes of the patient you took care of that day, and the meds they were on, and what interventions you did. Go home and Google or YouTube their diagnosis and read or watch it. Try to correlate and put the puzzle together. Over time and eventually you'll learn the "why" is this patient in this med or why are we doing this intervention

congrats on the interview. Glad you nailed it. I get nervous in interviews and talk in a screechy voice and stutter lol

MSNAdvocate2008 · Sep 20, 2016

Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. I want to be able to do my best in all aspects of the job, if I get it. It looked like a nice environment and hope that what I saw is in itself the reality. it is an educative and research hospital so hope I learn everyday and gain something in return. Thanks again Wheaties.

MSNAdvocate2008 · Sep 20, 2016

Oh my God! I just got off the phone with HR and I was offered the job! I am in! Oh! I need oxygen..... :roflmao: