[rbs105]

Hi-
I am starting my last year as a nursing student and have a strong desire to go into OR nursing. I am going to be taking an OR course along with my nursing courses. I have been reading your archives, but I have a couple of questions.

Many are telling me I am shooting myself in the foot to go straight into a specialty like OR. They say I will lose my skills (med passing, assessments, etc) and I will not be able to go into other areas should I decide I don't like it. Is this true? I do not want to be a floor nurse-even to start out, but I also don't want to get into a profession that will lock me in without options to get out should I not want to do this 5 or 10+ years from now! I really like the excitement of the OR and am fascinated with the technical side of things and the science of it. I don't think I'll miss passing meds, although I will miss patient interaction!

Also, I have a 4 and 7 year old. Is a profession like the OR more likely to keep me away longer from home and my family than the 'typical nursing' position that most get right out of school? I do worry about the impact any of these jobs will have on my family.

Any responses would be appreciated!!

rbs105

[suzanne4]

You will not lose your skills. That I can promise you. You will still be doing patient assessments, just differently.

As far as family, this job isn't any idfferent than most others except for the possibility of call. Check out some different facilities and find out what their call schedule actually is. You will usually find that call will be less in the bigger facilities that have 24/7 coverage.

Good luck to you with your choice...........

[shodobe]

It gets really annoying to hear time and time again that you will "lose your skills" just because you are an OR nurse. That is total poppycock! I have been in the OR for 28 years and my assessment skills and patient interaction are just fine. I find out more about my patient than 90% of the so-called "skilled" floor nurses because they don't delve beyond the surface of the patient's chart. Take for example the patient I did today that came up for a Lap Chole and had had a K of 2.5 for 2 days. What kind of an assessment is that. What I am saying is you use these skills all the time and the ones who say you lose them are the ones who either hated their OR rotation or didn't land the job because they lacked something. There is more patient advocacy in the OR than on most othere floors because you have a patient is under anesthesia and can't look out for them. You are their so-called "guardian angel". I am not one who thinks new grads should be in the OR right out of school. This is only my opinion. I have always felt a few years on a M/S floor can only benefit you. But this doesn't mean it can't work for you, many new grads have gone into the OR with great success. Call time and long hours can have an effect on your family life, this is something you have to decide on. What is so special about passing meds? I don't miss it at all. Mike

[rbs105]

Originally Posted by shodobe

It gets really annoying to hear time and time again that you will "lose your skills" just because you are an OR nurse. That is total poppycock! I have been in the OR for 28 years and my assessment skills and patient interaction are just fine. I find out more about my patient than 90% of the so-called "skilled" floor nurses because they don't delve beyond the surface of the patient's chart. Take for example the patient I did today that came up for a Lap Chole and had had a K of 2.5 for 2 days. What kind of an assessment is that. What I am saying is you use these skills all the time and the ones who say you lose them are the ones who either hated their OR rotation or didn't land the job because they lacked something. There is more patient advocacy in the OR than on most othere floors because you have a patient is under anesthesia and can't look out for them. You are their so-called "guardian angel". I am not one who thinks new grads should be in the OR right out of school. This is only my opinion. I have always felt a few years on a M/S floor can only benefit you. But this doesn't mean it can't work for you, many new grads have gone into the OR with great success. Call time and long hours can have an effect on your family life, this is something you have to decide on. What is so special about passing meds? I don't miss it at all. Mike

Mike,
Out of curiousity, what do you find to be the challenge of having graduate nurses in the OR? That is really what I am trying to find out that is weighing my decision, but no one really ever says. Is it just the obvious that you have not had the chance to gain or improve your assessment and other skills or are there other reasons? I appreciate your honesty. Thank you!
Ruth

[shodobe]

The one thing I have found out about new grads is they have a tremendous amount of knowledge bottled up and sometimes have no way to express it. The OR assessment of a patient is slightly different than say a ICU or M/S patient. What you are looking for are things that might effect the surgical procedure or some lab value that only would seem out of the ordinary for a certain type of procedure. It is hard to explain this unless you are working in the OR. Your assessment skills, you will not lose. I personally feel working for a little while on a M/S floor would only enhance these skills. Now for the ones who's skills are abit lacking, you have the challenge of not only traing them to be OR nurses but also teaching them how to decipher a patient's chart. I just haven't been one to welcome new grads, but if push comes to shove I would. I still look at the whole person and if I had a choice between a new grad with a lot of enthusiasm or an experienced nurse with a crappy attitude. I of course would pick the new grad. With them you could at least mold them, the crappy attitude doesn't usually get any better. Good solid nursing skills will always open doors for you and enthusiasm will help tremendously. Good luck, Mike

[mcmike55]

OK, I feel that I would like to add my two cents worth on this issue....again.
The basic question, I think, is, should/could a new grad go right into the OR.
My answer is sure....they could....but I'm not sure they should.
I am one of those that say that you lose skills when you move to surgery.
Not all of your skills, just SOME. I remember a few years ago when I was asked to go over to ER, and help out. They asked me to give an IM. Guys, it had been probably 5 years since I gave an IM!!!!
My point is SOME skills go on the back burner in a specialty unit..OR is no different I suspect than ICU, OB, ER or Cath Lab. They are still there, but you don't need them as often as out on the floors.
Shod,,,I completely agree, that your assesment skills sharpen, as do your ability to see the whole pt, labs, ekg, xrays, etc, and how they affect your pt during surgery. Being able to pick the brains of the docs, and listen in is invaluable, as is the ability to have direct access to them.
We have had SN's in a transition class spending some time in our OR recently. And that is one question they have had. "Can I come straight into the OR?" My basic answer is sure,,,,but....you may want to do a year or two outside of surgery before you enter. In our hospital, there is right now, no openings, and others, more senior that would have first shot anyway.
I also agree that attitude has a ton to do with it. I love having students in the OR...why?....because they WANT TO BE THERE, and they are always asking why this or that. I love it.
My own daughter is about to graduate from nursing school....she is working as an ED tech. She has gotten a lot of training an experience there that will make her a much better nurse, I think. Just think, coming right out of school with all that knowledge base, plus knowing how to do 12 leads, foley's, blood draws, etc!! Right now, she is torn between working ED or ICU. Frankly, short of floor work, I think that could be the best place for her. ICU you get the critical care, individual pt care (baths, etc), plus all those lines, vents, etc. However in ED, again critical care, individual care, lines, etc,, plus a more diverse pt population. I think (hope) she is in a great position to get a real good experience.
Bottom line, to me, a grad nurse should start by getting a more rounded experience such as the floor, ICU or the like, before moving to OR.
That's my two cents,,,,looking at the length of my venting,...I'd say more like a buck and a quarter!!! Thanks for listening11
MIke

[mcmike55]

[quote=rbs105]Hi-
Also, I have a 4 and 7 year old. Is a profession like the OR more likely to keep me away longer from home and my family than the 'typical nursing' position that most get right out of school? I do worry about the impact any of these jobs will have on my family.

After looking at my post, I realized that I missed a part of your question!!!
Working in OR and family life are not mutually exclusive, though at times, I'm not so sure.
Depending on your call rotation, it really depends. Over my 20 some years of working in a small rural hospital, I went from on call 3, sometimes 4 nights a week and every other or third weekend on call, to once a week, and every 6th weekend on.
Understand, our weekday call shifts are 3p to 7a, and weekends are 7a Saturday to 7a Monday, and like many other things in this job,,,sometimes you are out all the time,,,sometimes not at all.
My wife and I raised two girls with me on call, and we got it done. Dance classes, softball, volleyball, etc. Our friends got used to my wife and I arriving in different vehicles, and the kids grew up understanding that I could come and go at all hours, and if the hospital called, go get dad!!
It can be done,,,but I suggest that your family also knows what you all are in for. But to me,,it's worth it !!!!! Mike