What are the stress level ranking for these units?

Fiona59 · Dec 10, 2014

The work isn't stressful, usually it's caused by your co-workers.

The unit I work on is generally considered a very "light, easy specialty". I have more stress there than any other job I've ever had. It's the co-workers and poor management.

Staff only stay because of the shift schedules and the fact that you very rarely run the risk of being injured there.

Humaneclowninscrubs · Dec 10, 2014

Wait so which unit are you referring to? Ortho?

The work isn't stressful, usually it's caused by your co-workers.
The unit I work on is generally considered a very "light, easy specialty". I have more stress there than any other job I've ever had. It's the co-workers and poor management.
Staff only stay because of the shift schedules and the fact that you very rarely run the risk of being injured there.

SubSippi · Dec 10, 2014

You'll have a hard time finding someone who has worked all of those specialties, so it'll be hard to rank. Also, different things are stressful to different people. Taking care of old ladies with hip replacements is wayyyy more stressful to me than having a fresh post-op open heart. But to some people, all the lines and drips that come with cardiovascular surgery might be incredibly stressful.

What other types of things are important to you in a job?

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 10, 2014

This is totally subjective and will be based on what each person finds stressful. The only way you can decide which unit would be a fit for you (because it's not always the work but those you work with that will cause stress) is to shadow for a few days (at least a full shift, minimum) which would allow you to see the required work as well as the unit culture (well, as much as you can as an outsider).

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Dec 10, 2014

Ortho is very stressful physically---lots of lifts and transfers. However, I would be a nervous wreck with the other specialties listed, so I can't really rank them in order of stress levels. They're all stressful to me!

Humaneclowninscrubs · Dec 10, 2014

LOL sounds like all of nursing is hell and can have a high turn over rate. I need to find another career. Nursing is truly underpaid, overworked, and zero respect depending on where you work.

Thanks for everyone's input and hope you work in a place where you are satisfied.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2014

I think it depends on the particular unit. I was a CNA on an ortho unit, and the nurses always seemed stressed out; at my current hospital, the ortho unit has worse staffing ratios than the other floors for some reason, and I haven't heard many good things about working there.

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What kind of unit is the tele connected to a trauma helipad--medical tele, so connected to trauma flights only by proximity? Trauma stepdown? I'm guessing it's not an ICU because ICUs don't use tele.

CV surgery, is that ICU, stepdown, floor? I worked in a combo SICU/CVICU years back, and I enjoyed CV surgery. It's definitely a high learning curve, but I liked it a lot. Low-stress it was not, though.

Both SICUs I've worked in have included neuro. What's stressful about it are 1.) you're dealing with pretty devastating dx and many pts don't get better, 2.) things can go south with a pt VERY quickly, and 3.) with brain injuries comes agitation. Mostly (at least in my experience) it's nonviolent, but it's difficult to watch--even more so for the family. I had one pt who constantly looked disheveled because he would never lie still--and he was still on propofol and scheduled/prn seroquel. But the big reason I remember him is we had to do full linen changes q 2 hrs b/c he was so sweaty. But I do enjoy the challenge of neuro, and the opportunity to help pts and families when they're at their worst.

Sorry that answer might not be hugely helpful, but it's hard to quantify.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2014

I manage a very busy unit. The workload is heavy, but people tell me over and over that they stay for the teamwork and their co-workers. Co-workers and workplace politics will make or break ANY job.

workinmomRN2012, BSN · Dec 11, 2014

all are stressful, but I think the least would be ortho-on a really good day :)

RNperdiem, RN · Dec 11, 2014

Ortho is only tolerable if you have good CNAs helping you. The patients here are very dependent early on for help to the chair, help to the bathroom(this can be a very slow process if you are busy), and help with lots of things.

As a nurse, you cannot do it all, especially in ortho. If the CNAs are a strong group, and the nurses help each other, then I would rank that the marginally least stressful.

In bedside nursing, there is a lot of overlap since patients often have many health problems. Lots of your NeuroICU patients will have ortho problems. CV surgery and telemetry patients are very similar in the care you give.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2014

I think it depends on the particular unit. I was a CNA on an ortho unit, and the nurses always seemed stressed out; at my current hospital, the ortho unit has worse staffing ratios than the other floors for some reason, and I haven't heard many good things about working there.

I forgot to mention about ortho when I typed this last night-- but from what I can tell with my CNA experience and now with ortho trauma (I'm in the SICU now), there's a lot to do with pain management. Some people's pain is very difficult to control even with a combo of IV and PO narcotics. Depending on the particular unit, some floor ratios are terrible, up to 10 pts from what I've heard. Then consider they need not only frequent PRN meds, but they have to be pre-medicated for PT, pre-medicated before putting the CPM on (in the case of the total knees), reassessed in a timely manner, need help turning in bed and transferring. It can get quite busy!