[kimbalips]

Originally Posted by NabiRN

I have been a certified surgical technologist for four years. I also just passed the NCLEX and hope to land a nursing job in the OR.

There are many know it all surgical technologists in the OR (including myself). During my 2nd year as a scrub, I questioned the positioning of a new resident for a case that I have scrubbed many times. The nurse pulled me aside and said to me firmly that I should never do that again. She didn't start a fight with me nor did she use her power as the circulator to tell me off. I forgot what words she used but she was very professional. Since then, I only offer my suggestion when I was asked. I continue to work well with this circulator.

Now it is my turn to learn how to work with know it all scrubs.

I'm sorry to hear that you refuse to be an advocate for the patient when you see something that is questionable. It is everyone's job in the OR, not just the nurse's, to be an advocate for the patient. If anyone sees something that may be against policy or may jeopardize the patient in any way, you MUST speak up. There is a professional way to do so. But you cannot be content with "not speaking unless spoken to" just because you are "only" a scrub tech. EVERYONE in the OR is important and everyone should be willing to advocate for the patient.

I'm sorry, but I believe that the circulator had no business pulling you aside and telling you to firmly keep you mouth shut. She should instead be thanking you for speaking up for the patient.

Let's not forget the reason we do our jobs

[NabiRN]

Kimbalips,

Regarding the particular case that I mentioned in my message, the patient was not at risk. It was just the physician's preference that I pointed out to the nurse. Anyhow, if I do see that the patient is at risk, I would definitely speak up.

However, we all do things differently which may or may not have an impact on the patient's final outcome. I was trying to point that out in my message especially I was not a nurse at that time and I was not the surgical resident. I was not in position to tell them how to do their jobs.

[NurseRoRo]

I left the OR because I couldn't stand being micromanaged by techs. I know I'm a darn good nurse and I take my job seriously. But it's the little things that made me burn out. I also wanted to learn to scrub but had the educator tell me that they were only taking "good nurses" to start teaching RNs to scrub and I'd have to keep circulating for now. And this was in front of other nurses and techs. The day I left the OR, I had surgeons who came up to me and hugged me and told me they were going to miss me. I had one that got teary eyed but said he understood the dynamics I've had to work with.

It was a good professional experience overall as it helps me understand the procedures that my homecare patients go through and how to help them recover.