I have been a member of this group for a while and usually lurk,
reading the posts.
I left the ER in November of last year, and moved on to the PACU. I
miss the ER so much, it is really killing me!!! I guess it really does
get in your blood. (And under your skin!!) I know there are
positions available, namely an 11A-11P shift. I now work 6:30A-7P.
No weekends or holidays, but I take call every 12 days. My ER
colleagues want me to come back, which means a lot to me. They are a
wonderful group of people as well as skilled medical professionals.
How long do you think it will be until I am burned out again, should I
choose to go back? I could not take having 4 rooms and 2 or 3 extra
patients in the hallway. I love ER nursing, that fast pace and never
knowing what kind of patient will be filing up the beds. From what I
have been told, nothing has changed and a lot of others have left.
PACU is different, to say the least. One of my ER buddies is working
part time in ER and PRN in PACU. He can't wait to leave PACU once the
shift is over, 8 hours drags by so slowly!!! Yes, the patients thank
you over and over again for everything. They tell you that you are an
angel, and tell you how nice you are. How can that compare to getting
charcoal puke all over your face and in your uniform pockets while
trying to restrain an OD, who is also calling you every name you have
ever heard? And the regulars who say Hi to you in the mall....
Oh why did I ever leave???? LOL!!

Maureen
Lorain, Ohio