[dexter99]

I started working in a medsurg floor because everybody was telling me that I need to start with MS. After a year and a half I'm finally going to the OR and I'm so excited! I think there's an advantage in going to medsurg since you develop your analytical skills and assertiveness but going straight to OR won't hurt too! I am going to North Shore Univ Hosp in manhasset NY and I'll be in a 6 mos orientation. Being a new grad 6 mos of orientation will definitely make you feel comfortable with what your doing... I hope this helps. Goodluck!

[baygirl79]

Hi,
I've been a nurse for 6 years and 3 of that 6 is in OR. When i started in OR I had no experience at all. I can tell you that it was the best move I have made in my nursing career. I am also happy that I started in medsurg because it helped me to gain a lot of knowledge and helped with my assertiveness and leadership skills and crtical thinking. It was stressful 90% of the time but I did not regret it. If OR is what you really want to do then I say go for it. It is a very interesting feild

[mp2005]

Hi: I'm also a new grad who just got hired in a plastic surgery office as a pre-op and post-op nurse. Now this makes me nervous I never thought I'd be in this specialty but I always thought it was fascinating. I never like Med surge either. Should I be concerned about being so new out of school starting off in an office as the RN ,since hospitals have more of a training.

Originally Posted by WitchyRN

Hi..most instructors are going to give you the old line that new nurses shouldn't start out in a specialty, you'll lose skills, blah blah blah. I've known many new grads(myself included) that went right to the OR and are doing fine. I had previous experience as a scrub, but I have seen new grads with zero OR experience flourish.


If you know that you'll despise med/surg then why spend a year someplace where you'll be miserable? That is a one way road to Burnoutville, IMO. I'm a nerd, so I try to educate myself on things that we don't see so much in the OR. I'll pick a topic and read all I can on it. And you'll gain many new skills in the OR that you'd never get anywhere else. They may even teach you to scrub, which is fun.

Unfortunately, many instructors today know very little about the OR and you're lucky if you get an observation day in clinical or have it mentioned in lecture. So, it's nice to hear that people have an interest. Good luck!

[looking for answers0]

U will either love it or hate it. I personally LOVE IT!! I was a scrub tech for 7 years so I miss being actually "involved in the procedure" but I still like the opportunity to assist the surgeons when i can and i also get to help the CRNA's. And as far as your "nursing skills" go... you still have to be on your game. IV's infiltrate in OR probably quicker than on med-surg and I know from experience it's more challenging to start an IV in a patient whose arms are tucked bilaterally with a doctor on both sides than in a "comfy bed or on an ER stretcher". it is usually hard to get a job in an OR because there is less employee turn over in this area of nursing. The reason being if your meant to be an OR nurse you will retire in that area. Good luck!!!

[KAMARAkamara]

Can one of you guys tell me what the pay is for a new grad in the OR? And does it matter if you have an ADN or BSN?

[WitchyRN]

Originally Posted by KAMARAkamara

Can one of you guys tell me what the pay is for a new grad in the OR? And does it matter if you have an ADN or BSN?

The pay varies by where you are and in my state, the pay is the same for ADNs and BSNs. In my area, the vast majority of us have ADNs and diplomas.

Also, nurses in specialty areas around here don't get paid anymore than floor nurses.