exposure to the Operating Room

Specialties Operating Room

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My coworker and I were talking about student nursing life one time at work, and she mentioned to me that in America nursing students are not rotated to the Operating Room and that she graduated cum laude without actually stepping in one. She said they were just allowed to watch through the glass. When I was floated to the OR to be oriented, the circulating nurse told me that most RNs working with me has never stepped foot in an OR. Is this really the case or is it just me and the region I work at?

From my experience working in the OR, we get alot of students watching through the glass and some even just sitting in the lounge area reading their notes, or better yet eating delightful goodies that we have for the day. So much for hands on nursing right? Rarely do the surgeons even bother to speak with them, but there are some who actually take the time to ask questions and test their knowledge which i think is commendable.

In my nursing school, NS divided into 2 groups; going into 2 different hospitals. I was lucky to be in a group that allow NS to go to MS, pre/intro/post OR, rehab, urgent care, follow RT (just to see what they are about), and dialysis nurse in 1 semester.

Another group just do MS because their hospital won't allow them to be any where else. There is no OR class in my nursing school. I have to drive 60 miles round trip to go to another school for that. The class costs more than $500 plus the book. And next week the class will take place in OR setting. YEAH. I am looking forward to it.

DR- Delivery Room

What country are you from? Isn't it nice to be in OR and DR?

I had 1 semester of antepartum, L&D-labor and delivery, and postpartum. But I got only one chance to see c-section.

OR definately, im used tot he fast paced environment ive been working in the OR for atleast 10 years. Started as a scrub tech now as a materials manager for the whole perioperative services in my hospital. Two of my aunts are L&D nurses and they love it, they have about 25 years under their belt and has not moved to any other departments. so im guessing theyre satisfied and happy where they are.. by the way im from america. =)

Sorry about that. You can tell that I spent little time in DR.

no need to be sorry, where are you from?

:) California

cool. jersey girl here.. =)

We get one day of OR observation during our first year, it's my turn next Tuesday. I think it will be an interesting experience, I've never been in an OR and we get to follow the patient to PACU.

Specializes in 3 years MS/Tele, 10 years total ICU, 5 travel.

I got 3 days of observation - and the 3rd was ONLY because my renal patient happened to have a transplant available that day. 2 days I was placed in a corner and ignored. The day I wasn't supposed to be in OR, the surgeon noticed me and asked "who's that and why isn't she doing anything?" When they told him I was a little nursing student, he called me up near his elbow, explained what was going on. And afterward, he took me over to the removed kidney, pointed out the healthy tissue, pointed out the cancerous, and made cuts in both to point out the differences inside. AWESOME experience.

Specializes in Operating Room.
ScrubRBwabbabe: If you really want to scrub, be a scrub tech. RN's not allowed to scrub in any OR setting I work (3 at the present). Some tech programs are 2 years in community college. Who do you think is better suited to work in OR. Person who has 2 years dedicated to OR training or ADN who has no experience in OR? This is a question for the near future when it all gets socialized.
This is not always the case. Most places around here train their new grad OR nurses to scrub. If you are running the board, it's great to have nurses who scrub or an all RN staff. I was a tech before I was a nurse. My tech program did not cover what one needs to know to be an OR nurse.
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