[land64shark]

I will be doing my practicum in the OR and am psyched! However, I have no idea what I will be doing or what is expected of me while there. Has anyone precepted a student (or actually been one) in the OR? What is "management" all about? I also just today accepted an OR internship for this same unit beginning in February.YES!!!

[ebear]

Start by clicking on to "Soooooo...You're Observing In The O.R." by Marie LPN at the beginning of this forum. It is excellent. As far as "management", it is different in each facility. See if you can get an appt. with the Director of Surgical Services (or whatever it's called at that facility) to discuss. Good Luck!
ebear

[land64shark]

Actually, I have spoken to the director during my interview for the internship and she was the one who suggested that I request Surgical Services for my management practicum. I was not expecting to be placed in the OR, rather pre-op, PACU, etc. They apparently have never had a student in the OR for management, yet that's where I'll be. I've already observed many times in the OR. Management is not supposed to be an observation, but a hands on experience where one learns time mangement, delegation, etc. I just don't see that happening since there's only so much I can do without the propper time consuming training, right?

I could be perfectly happy observing/shadowing, I just don't know how my school is going to like it. It'll be hard to achieve the course objectives that way.

[ebear]

Shark,
Hmmm.... that is puzzling why they assigned you to the O.R. as a management practicum.
My only suggestion is that you keep a list of "turnover times" ( the time the last pt. left the O.R. and the next one was brought in). Management loves to look at those (time is money). Also, note the staff's involvement during that process and how to improve in this area.

Look at the back sterile table. How much wasted stuff is thrown away at the end of each case?(perfectly good, not contaminated). Check on recycling options to save the dept. money.

On a different note, observe how the staff interacts with the surgeon. Do you hear any verbal abuse or sense a hostile environment? Document that and offer suggestions (as a report) to remedy those situations. You are studying management and there is a lot more to management than "numbers". Nurses are burned out in short order in the O.R.

If I think of anything else, I'll write back.

ebear

[maeyken]

I would suggest talking to your school (whoever oversees the placements) and ask their expectations for this placement. (I'm not sure what you mean by a "management" placement; we didn't have anything by that name.) They might be able to help you figure out what exactly you should be doing and focusing on.