Hi all, any CST to RN here?

ewattsjt · Sep 5, 2007

What was eye opening to me; was when my room was accused of throwing away the lid to the screw set to a Synthes frag set. Decontamination/Sterile processing demanded that it did not come down to them. So I went to the trash and started digging through it as protocol demands (even thought it was too large to have accidentally been thrown away). Before long one of the nurses that had hired just before me came and started helping. A surgeon went by and asked what we were doing. She replied we are getting paid XXX per hour to dig through trash for something that isn’t there and laughed. Her pay is almost twice mine, and she asks me questions about procedures, etc… A patient transporter had started helping by that time and he said no no, I only make XXX which wasn't very much below my pay (especially when you figure how much I spend on certification, conferences etc...it came close) That was my final deciding factor in whole scheme of things. I decided the only way I would be paid or treated close to equal is to become an RN.

Sandy*B · Sep 10, 2007

Hi All,

I also went from CST to RN so can see both points of view as well. I loved scrubbing but as a single mom needed more of an income...thus nursing school.

The RN's I worked with were very supportive while the CST's saw me as a trader. I stayed in the same OR after nursing school and boy what a transition it was! Even though I excelled as a CST (Trauma, Neuro, Cardiac), the circulating was far more stressful! I was now COMPLETELY responsible for ANYTHING that went on in my room. Not only did I now have a license that could be revoked in a heart beat, but was blamed for the room running late, equipment needed not available, and on and so on. I personally found it less stressful being in the middle of a trauma scrubbing than circulating!

However...with that said.....the best rooms to work in...regardless of the demeanor of a surgeon....was a nurse and CST working together as a Team. I think we all agree that no one knows everything, and once you think you do...it changes.

I am currently working in the OR in Australia. They have all RN OR's; this allows for a very stress free environment. Each person can relieve the other for bathroom breaks, lunches, etc. And we each take turns scrubbing and circulating thereby keeping up our skills without killing ourselves ie, holding those chest retractors for what seems like hours on a 200 pound cardiac patient!

Personally, I believe that all CST's should become OR RN's, and eliminate the role of the CST entirely. The OR is an entirely different environment then any other type of nursing. You can't just pass your patients to a colleague while you take a break or go to lunch...that is IMPOSSIBLE in the OR. So if we were all RN's who could scrub and circulate....we would have harmony.

By the way, I worked at a hospital processing all those surgical instruments. During that time the "Fad" was to hire business administrators to help reduce costs. Thus the advent of the surgical tech positions! They did the same by trying to train nurses aides to draw blood and take over some of the nursing tasks. That didn't work as the public saw what happened and creamed bloody murder! So you scrub techs, stand up for your rights and be counted. BUT be counted as RN's as you do deserve the respect and pay RN's receive. BUT you need to get that RN.

CST's that went through an associates degree will find it very easy to get through a 2-year nursing program. AND most hospitals will reimburse your educational costs.

So....all CST's rise up and be counted...go to nursing school.