New grad needs help- quick question!

[trauma_lama, BSN]

Hey, this is better suited for a couple of other boards but this one seems to get the most traffic so I'm coming to you...

Just started circulating on my own, started at an ASC when I took my boards in May. We didn't ever learn Surg instrumentation in school. I will be trained as a scrub nurse in the next year, but in the meantime as a circulator, I need to be able to quickly grad certain instruments when requested by surgeons/PAs/techs. Don't know how to go about familiarizing myself with these and it seems overwhelming. When I came in today, found out I'm spending the day in sterile processing to get to know instruments, but I have no plan of attack.

Side note: no set-in-stone orientation program available here for this as they typically hire experienced OR staff (since it's a half-surgeon owned ASC). I just got lucky as a new grad.

So any apps for iPhone? Books? I would live to make the most of today in SPD that I can... Thank you for your help!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

ask for videos of surgical procedures. Many times MD's have them for patient or MD education.

[lmh1981]

Hey this is better suited for a couple of other boards but this one seems to get the most traffic so I'm coming to you... Just started circulating on my own, started at an ASC when I took my boards in May. We didn't ever learn Surg instrumentation in school. I will be trained as a scrub nurse in the next year, but in the meantime as a circulator, I need to be able to quickly grad certain instruments when requested by surgeons/PAs/techs. Don't know how to go about familiarizing myself with these and it seems overwhelming. When I came in today, found out I'm spending the day in sterile processing to get to know instruments, but I have no plan of attack. Side note: no set-in-stone orientation program available here for this as they typically hire experienced OR staff (since it's a half-surgeon owned ASC). I just got lucky as a new grad. So any apps for iPhone? Books? I would live to make the most of today in SPD that I can... Thank you for your help![/quote']you might want to get an instrument book from a Surgical technologist program in your area.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

You should also join your local chapter of the AORN, the perioperative nursing group, stat. Check them out at Association of periOperative Registered Nurses They will have lot of resources for you.