Chestnutt and Everhart [2007] describe how the nursing shortage has led to an influx of new graduate nurses into the acute care nursing setting. Georgetown University Hospital (GUH) is experiencing this influx in all nursing specialties including the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). The New Graduate Nurse Program started in 2001 and the PACU has participated in the New Graduate Program since 2002. On average, GUH hires 90 new graduate nurses a year; the PACU acquires four to seven new graduate nurses each year. In 2006, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) conducted a national survey and found that 80% of the respondents had a structured critical care orientation program for newly licensed nurses [Thomason, 2006]. Since the PACU is a critical care area, leadership desired a standardized program to create the optimal PACU nurse. This article explores the Perianesthesia New Graduate Orientation Program at GUH and presents the charactertics of such a program. In addition, the successes and challenges of the program will be discussed.

The introduction of nurse prescribing to the Irish surgical setting is a positive move toward minimizing the fragmentation of care delivery. The social emotional and financial benefits of nurse prescribing have been identified by patients as important and significant in the present uncertain economic climate.

This opportunity for the patient and surgical nurse must be part of a common purpose, in the search for improved patient care delivery.