Need experienced OR nurse advise

Nurses General Nursing

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I am presently 4.5 months into my 9 months of training. I am getting very, very frustrated.

I have been told, by the Nurse Educator and Dept. Mgr, that I should be able to do most general and gyn cases by myself. They are wanting to move me on to other specialties.

The problem is, my preceptor (god love her) always has her hands in things and doesn't wait for me to call her when I finally realize I need her help!! For example, today I was by myself in the OR for a modified radical mastectomy.....I should be able to do these, right?? Anyway, the pt. needed a 14fr foley and it was ordered from CS. My preceptor was out in the hall....where she has been told she needs to be....I motioned for her to come into the room and asked if she could check by the clean supply elevator for the foley. She went to get it and brought it back. She then stayed in the room and proceeded to get her hands in everything again....hooking up suction, doing my paperwork, and the list goes on. I got so Frustrated!

The other new nurse I was hired with is having the same difficulties w/her preceptor. Don't get me wrong, I TRUELY appreciate everything these wonderful nurses are doing for us. I just don't want to have to 'learn' how to manage everything and become organized AFTER I get off my training. Now is the time for me to learn these things......she just needs to be my safety net if I can't fly too good sometimes. I know she wants to keep the room running smoothly and the docs from taking chunks of my behind, but, how else am I going to learn??

And, yes, these preceptors have been told by the Nurse Educator that they need to stay outside the rooms as much as possible so that we can learn when to call for floats, and how to be organized.

I'm biting at the bit!!! HELP!

I want her to push me off the cliff, not keep me in the nest.:confused:

....WOOO..Take it easy girl...don't let her push you off the cliff( you will get hurt and god knows what else), but let her put you on the ground..

About you frustration today, did she do that often or just today? If often, told her what you really wanted to do and achieve.

If this happens today, then don't get upset girl.....

yOU'LL be a great OR nurse in future..:D :D

KC-CHICK..Am not an experienced OR nurse..sorry but just some advice from me..:D :D :D :D

Thanx jayna.

I have a great preceptor....don't get me wrong. In answer to your question, yes, this happens ALL THE TIME. As I wrote above, this has already been discussed w/her by the Nurse Educator who explained that I need to learn how to be ORGANIZED when running my rooms.

I'm getting frustrated because it just 'hit' me that I'm halfway through my training......I've not yet been able to master general and gyn surgery ALONE (due to the mothering insticnct of my wonderful preceptor) and still have cardiovascular, ortho, neuro, and TRAUMA to cover in the next half of my training!!! There are so many more room set-ups and specialty equipment to learn.....not to mention the organizational skills it takes to run it all 'smooth as glass'.(w/out losing a chunk of my rear-end to a ticked off surgeon) After the next 4.5 months, I will be expected to run rooms and take after hours call ...... ON MY OWN.

Can you better understand my frustrations now?? :eek:

YEAH..KC-CHICK.....i pity you ...I will for sure be very very frustrated in this, if it was me....

can't you say ..get behind my back to her??/..noooo???.......wish i could give appropriate advice.....

I've "shooooooed" her outta my room a few times. She has stayed out for two or three cases......not enough though. I talked w/her about this on Friday after our room was done and she said I just need to tell her to stop doing, etc. It's kinda hard when she's already doing something to say STOP IT.

I don't know. We saw each other tonight at a social get-together that one of the techs threw. She said that she'd have a lot of time on her hands 'cause I'd be doing everything on Monday.

We'll see. I hope she's right. ;)

...wishing you all the best...

As an experienced OR nurse (16+), your concern is voiced by many new nurses. But, it sounds like (at least for general and GYN) cases that you are ready to go the 'solo' route. Often, this is the only way in which you will be able to learn to prioritize and get your own routine down. And, yes, often we learn when the doctor tells us (or, screams) something.

Perhaps speak with the educator and see if you can circulate on your own with an experienced scrub. As long as you have a resource person to call upon, and are doind familiar cases, I have all confidence you will do fine.

If this is not possible, you may need to ask your preceptor (one more additional time) not to help with the circulating functions in any shape or form.

Good luck.

K. Lynn

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