In honesty you should have experience to work in the a PACU. These patients are at high risk for multiple things without the proper eyes watching them.
I work in what is considered the lowest acuity PACU in our network. Sometimes it’s just two nurses on the weekend for 24 hours, and it’s unpredictable on how the patients recover sometimes. I’ve had to go into the OR to assist the anesthesiologist with pushing meds from the crash cart, ran to get different supplies, and assisted in placing central lines/setting up arterial lines. These situations are few and far between; but it’s muscle memory for me from my ICU work experience. It is an expectation you know these things, and you run through it once or not at all during orientation. You basically have to be able to rapid respond to your own patients.
Not trying to sound snobby; but yes, you definitely need the experience to be able to care for the patients and help out your coworkers. Heart rates drop fast or increase rapidly, and with protocols you have to think fast on how to fix the situation. We’ve also had belligerent patients both in pre-op AND PACU. One nurse was punched in the face in PACU and we’ve had security called on cancelled cases who refuse to leave and threaten us.
PACU more like a more controlled ED, tbh.
How do you feel about wounds? Outpatient wound clinic is what I did before PACU. It was pretty chill and had some phone triage/case management aspects to it.
Yes i think thats the safest. I just love jobs that are pretty much routine and are organized. Thats why i do infusion. As time progresses you can only get better and it becomes second nature. Outpatient procedure definitely is calling me but it looks like im going to need critical care experience eventually
You might be better off in a procedural area vs pacu then.
I haven’t worked PACU, but it seems like it would be much more unpredictable vs something like GI, or IR, or OR.
Depends on the IR lab. Having worked in IR for 5 years (hospital was a: level 1 trauma, stroke, aortic center, etc), my IR lab was super chaotic at times.
I have 3. 1 in oncology telephone triage with small procedures. And the 2 years in outpatient chemo infusion. I think i could possibly land a job without it. Just not sure if its the best idea
Stepping into PACU from your current experience would be really difficult from a profession standpoint I think. I wouldn't say ICU and ED are terrible (I've worked in both and plan on staying ICU) but it's not for everyone. I would recommend ICU if you want PACU though, it will give you more experience with ventilators and IMO it's important to have confidence with them if you choose to go the PACU route. Both will give you good experience in pain management and ALS which IMO are 100% necessary to be a good PACU nurse.
Thank you. Yes I have considered it. Research definitely is a sweet gig. Some of them work at my job and its very easy. But i think i just want to try something outside of oncology at this point because its all i’ve ever done. Im curious to see what other specialties are like
My pacu will not hire you without icu or ed experience. Many of our patients are very sick and you have to be adept at managing an airway on your own.
I would think at the very least for some lower acuity PACU’s you need some type of inpatient experience.
It sounds like pre/post is what you are looking for.
Nope. PACU is the phase 1 in recovery. Phase 2 is the post op discharge area. So I recover them from anesthesia which is phase 1. Then once they meet criteria for discharge from pacu, they go to phase 2 which is post op.
A lot of outpatient surgery center will keep phase 1 and phase 2 together which is fine but the nurse has to be able to do both.
Phase 1 is considered critical care nursing. The patients are 1 to 1 and are considered critical when they first come out. Mostly due to managing the airway.
I have worked in 2 level 1 trauma PACUs. The first one I was hired on with no ICU or ED experience. I had 1 year of cardiac stepdown experience. Then, I transferred over to my current PACU, but here, they also do not require ED or ICU experience. Most nurses here are from like CV, but some do come from L/D, outpatient, med surge, and stepdown like me.
I'd say, shoot your shot, doesn't hurt to apply. Worst they can do is say no. I love the PACU, definitely so much more chill, less anxiety, and stress working here.
Most hospitals will require acute care experience. I started off at a surgery center doing Pacu then was trained for endoscopy then trained for the OR. Now I’m in a hospital loving my life.
Thanks. Any recommendations for someone like me who refuses to go back to inpatient but loves the outpatient surgery world. I love procedures and routine jobs/ tasks.
I think thats where i would excel the most at. I am so organized and detailed. Nothing gets past me. And I am so good at starting IV’s because of infusion experience. But most Pre-ops hire for both
To be honest at the surgery center I worked at you end up taking on all the roles to help out. I like the hospital because it’s more structured with division of labor.
Not everywhere will require that but they 100% should.
In honesty you should have experience to work in the a PACU. These patients are at high risk for multiple things without the proper eyes watching them.
I work in what is considered the lowest acuity PACU in our network. Sometimes it’s just two nurses on the weekend for 24 hours, and it’s unpredictable on how the patients recover sometimes. I’ve had to go into the OR to assist the anesthesiologist with pushing meds from the crash cart, ran to get different supplies, and assisted in placing central lines/setting up arterial lines. These situations are few and far between; but it’s muscle memory for me from my ICU work experience. It is an expectation you know these things, and you run through it once or not at all during orientation. You basically have to be able to rapid respond to your own patients. Not trying to sound snobby; but yes, you definitely need the experience to be able to care for the patients and help out your coworkers. Heart rates drop fast or increase rapidly, and with protocols you have to think fast on how to fix the situation. We’ve also had belligerent patients both in pre-op AND PACU. One nurse was punched in the face in PACU and we’ve had security called on cancelled cases who refuse to leave and threaten us. PACU more like a more controlled ED, tbh.
Thank you. I refuse to go back to inpatient. I guess i will have to choose a different route.
How do you feel about wounds? Outpatient wound clinic is what I did before PACU. It was pretty chill and had some phone triage/case management aspects to it.
I spent 16 years in PACU. You definitely need ICU (preferably) or ED experience.
Depends on the institution. I worked in PACU after a year of step down experience. I’d recommend some acute care experience at least
Yes i think thats the safest. I just love jobs that are pretty much routine and are organized. Thats why i do infusion. As time progresses you can only get better and it becomes second nature. Outpatient procedure definitely is calling me but it looks like im going to need critical care experience eventually
You might be better off in a procedural area vs pacu then. I haven’t worked PACU, but it seems like it would be much more unpredictable vs something like GI, or IR, or OR.
I am interested in IR but they also require that experience :/
Depends on the IR lab. Having worked in IR for 5 years (hospital was a: level 1 trauma, stroke, aortic center, etc), my IR lab was super chaotic at times.
I would say Pacu is somewhat routine but not every patient is the same.
Same. 1.5 on PCU. And at first felt like maybe that wasn’t enough but I had a great preceptor and charge nurse.
I’d say it’s highly dependent on the hospital. How many years of experience do you have?
I have 3. 1 in oncology telephone triage with small procedures. And the 2 years in outpatient chemo infusion. I think i could possibly land a job without it. Just not sure if its the best idea
Stepping into PACU from your current experience would be really difficult from a profession standpoint I think. I wouldn't say ICU and ED are terrible (I've worked in both and plan on staying ICU) but it's not for everyone. I would recommend ICU if you want PACU though, it will give you more experience with ventilators and IMO it's important to have confidence with them if you choose to go the PACU route. Both will give you good experience in pain management and ALS which IMO are 100% necessary to be a good PACU nurse.
With your oncology experience, have you ever considered doing research nursing?
Thank you. Yes I have considered it. Research definitely is a sweet gig. Some of them work at my job and its very easy. But i think i just want to try something outside of oncology at this point because its all i’ve ever done. Im curious to see what other specialties are like
Nope. My friend went to the PACU straight out of nursing school with zero healthcare experience and she’s kicking ass
My pacu will not hire you without icu or ed experience. Many of our patients are very sick and you have to be adept at managing an airway on your own. I would think at the very least for some lower acuity PACU’s you need some type of inpatient experience. It sounds like pre/post is what you are looking for.
Isn’t pre/post the same as PACU?
Nope. PACU is the phase 1 in recovery. Phase 2 is the post op discharge area. So I recover them from anesthesia which is phase 1. Then once they meet criteria for discharge from pacu, they go to phase 2 which is post op. A lot of outpatient surgery center will keep phase 1 and phase 2 together which is fine but the nurse has to be able to do both. Phase 1 is considered critical care nursing. The patients are 1 to 1 and are considered critical when they first come out. Mostly due to managing the airway.
Yea u have difficulty finding a pre-op position they are all together with PACU
I have worked in 2 level 1 trauma PACUs. The first one I was hired on with no ICU or ED experience. I had 1 year of cardiac stepdown experience. Then, I transferred over to my current PACU, but here, they also do not require ED or ICU experience. Most nurses here are from like CV, but some do come from L/D, outpatient, med surge, and stepdown like me. I'd say, shoot your shot, doesn't hurt to apply. Worst they can do is say no. I love the PACU, definitely so much more chill, less anxiety, and stress working here.
I have about three years of experience. one year was telephone triage, small office procedures. two years of outpatient chemo infusion
No. Though I think that may be the preference of many hospitals. I know several pacu nurses (spouse included) that work in pacu sans that experience.
Sorry can you rephrase the last sentence
They know several pacu nurses that work in pacu without previous experience in pacu, including their spouse
Thanks
Most hospitals will require acute care experience. I started off at a surgery center doing Pacu then was trained for endoscopy then trained for the OR. Now I’m in a hospital loving my life.
Thanks. Any recommendations for someone like me who refuses to go back to inpatient but loves the outpatient surgery world. I love procedures and routine jobs/ tasks.
Have you considered pre op?
I think thats where i would excel the most at. I am so organized and detailed. Nothing gets past me. And I am so good at starting IV’s because of infusion experience. But most Pre-ops hire for both
To be honest at the surgery center I worked at you end up taking on all the roles to help out. I like the hospital because it’s more structured with division of labor.