any same day surgery experience?

brewerpaul · May 23, 2007

I'm a new grad and haven't started my OR job yet, but during my last semester I did a preceptorship in a very busy Ortho same-day surgery facility. I loved it. The hours are very regular, no emergencies, no call. In this particular place, the team feeling was very strong and everyone was terrific, especially to me as a student nurse. If you love doing life saving cases, this may not be your cup of tea. They did a lot of arthroscopic knees, rotator cuffs, ORIF fracture cases, etc. A positive thing is that the patients were not critically ill, so there was a lot less critical monitoring and less pressure that the patient was in danger of dying!

ORSmurf · May 23, 2007

I work at a multi-specialty surgery center and LOVE it! I worked in the OR at a hospital for 9 years before. There are so many perks to working at a surgery center, as mentioned already, the hours are wonderful - no nights, no holidays, no weekends, and very best of all (for me anyway) NO CALL. I always hated being on call - something about working for hours on end, finally getting home to bed after midnight, then getting called back in an hour later... then working the next day - didn't agree with me.

Crux1024 · May 24, 2007

Hi everyone--I know this is an OR forum--but anyone have any same day surgery expereince? I'd like to know what it's like? what's scheduling like? Etc I'm thinking about moving to a new department

As someone else said, the hours are very regular. Nothing after 1730, no weekends, no call, no holidays. They do mostly little things, joint scopes, hernias, breast BX. Their says are usually light, depending where you are. Theres almost never anything running after 1530, but I guess that will depend on where u go .:monkeydance:

passionate · Jun 30, 2007

Outpatient, sameday surgery is face paced and depending on if it is for profit or not can sometimes seem like you are on a luge going backwards. It is a tight schedule but consistent. Usually a handfull of surgeons to work with as opposed to a "main" OR. I find that staff wasn't plentiful so really rely on your housekeeper and the PA's to help with equipment, etc. It can be physically brutal. Good luck.

passionate · Jun 30, 2007

oops, I meant fast paced but I guess it could be considered "face" paced too if you like!

bifurcated · Jun 30, 2007

As an operating room nurse with over 30 years of experience, hospital based. Working on the open heart team, growing up with "trauma" an outpatient facility has been a God send. I love the fast pace, knowing that I will not have anything more exciting than an ACL or large plastic case is GREAT! Depending on your personal needs, no call, no holidays and no night "stuff" works out just great for me!