Etiquette in the OR

Nurses General Nursing

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Greetings,

I was invited by an ortho surgeon to spend a day in the OR observing four procedures. Shoulder reconstruction, hip replacement, and two orthoscopic procedures. As a nursing student this will be my first time in the OR. I would love to hear thoughts and concerns for what might be the proper etiquette in the OR. I figured ahead of time to read up on the procedures and as always be polite and respectfull of all. But any other ideas or thoughts?

Thanks,

Ed

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

Don't touch anything blue.

;)

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Find the charge nurse, introduce yourself and tell her what you just told us.....( and don't be shy about leaving if you feel faint....picking you up requires alot of work and endanger the sterile field ! :-) )

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yes, fainting, especially into the sterile field is in general considered poor form....

other activites that are frowned upon include:

vomiting (again, especially into the sterile field)

playing with a GameBoy

shaking hands with the surgeon when she enters the room from scrubbing

(c'mon people..join in and help the guy out!!)

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No touching blue, got it! And no problem with passing out. Have seen just about any way a human body can be from my work with the rescue squad.

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don't touch anything blue is true.

Get a feel for how the doctor and the staff is towards you before you start asking questions, as a student myself I sometimes feel I am in the way so I just observe when I feel the time is right I will ask something.

If you feel nauseous start backing away towards the door.

Participate if the team encourages it make the most of your experience.

Don't forget to eat that day.

Good Luck and have fun. After my day in the OR I realized that is not something I wanted to do.

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When I worked OR, it use to drive me crazy when visitors stood in the line of traffic or in front of the door oblivious to my need to circulate the room. Make sure you don your PPEs correctly (too many worry about personal appearance instead)

If you feel faint make sure you tell me before you hit the floor or fall over the sterile field. I sure could go on about stories on that topic!

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Ed, I've been in the ED ( no pun intended) most of my career, and I am here to tell ya.....the OR isn't quite the same....especially ortho...there's just something about the drills saws and other carpentry tools and the SOUNDS they make....well....it can be special..........LOL

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I was on the ambulance and have seen much blood and guts. But something freaked me out about purposely cutting someone, the smell, the drills and saws etc. that is the part that made my stomach turn. Surgery of the abdomen was easier for me to observe than ortho. My OR experience has made me a better nurse. Now I know what my patients have gone through before they got to me on the post-op floor.

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Thank you all for your insight. All the information is helpfull to me. At least I know I will not need the iron and the ironing board for the PPE's.

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:-).........You'll be fine!!! Have fun!!

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ironing of PPEs....? Hmmm, I dont get it?

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