I work at a surgery centre and rotate between the Pre Op area and PACU (recovery). I also work with children.

A typical day depends on the area I’m working in. But if is preop I arrive by 630 and begin to get everything ready for the day. I check crash carts, turn on oxygen, get medications to hand out to the anesthesia team, prep the preop area by priming fluid bags that we will use to start the kid’s IVs. Log in to the computer and look at the schedule. At the end of the day, I returned the medications I used to the pharmacy, turn off everything in the preop area, and help stock the ORs with supplies.

If working in PACU I arrive around 715. Turn on the machines that collect the patient’s vitals, make sure I have all the supplies I might need such as suction, suction canister, oxygen tubing, and oxygen supplies such as a nasal cannula, mask, etc. As well as turn on the computer to look at the schedule. If the preop area is getting behind then I will also go over there and help. At the end of the day, I turn off everything, turn off oxygen, do the daily medication count with another nurse, check the medications carts and supply carts that are each OR and replaced what was used plus take the carts back to the pharmacy so they can be locked.

Pros

• No weekends nor holidays
• Culture: everyone is friendly and we all work well together
• Autonomy
• Healthier kids. No complex medical history

Cons

• Fast pace. Surgeries are quick
• You know at what time you start but don’t know at what time you will get out. Hours vary
• You need to be very self-sufficient. Is outpatient so you don’t have the same resources you will have in a hospital

Physical Therapist Aide – Jasmine Marcus

I was a physical therapist aide for over a year before going to PT school. Now I am a physical therapist. As an aide, each day was slightly different. … Read More