New RN choose between OR & Telemetry...?

Specialties Operating Room

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Hi,

I'm a new nurse & am trying to decide between getting into telemetry @ a local hospital or into the OR at a hospital that is maybe 35min away from my house. I want to hear from possibly OR nurses to find out how well they seem to like what they do & what they'd tell someone like me. I really like the fact that OR nursing is day shift & mostly no holidays. I also like seeing operations etc. but without a clinical in the OR it's hard for me to know whether or not I'd like it. From my observations in the OR sometimes it seems to me that it may in fact get boring once in a while. What are your thoughts on the matter OR nurses? How stressful is this job for you compared to what maybe a telemetry nurse does? Does OR fit into your family life if you have kids?

Thanks for any pointers! I really need them.

Bluespruce new RN

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Try talking to the supervisor of the OR and ask to observe for a couple of days. Since you didn't get any OR time in clinicals, this would be a good idea. I mean, people can explain their routines and responsibilities here, yet, you might want to see for yourself what goes on at the place that you're considering.

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OR is not just day shift, the other shifts need to get covered. Emergencies do not wait. Definitely shadow a nurse in the OR for a few days to see if you really like it. OR nurses also take call, so it is not just a day job.

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OR is not just day shift, the other shifts need to get covered. Emergencies do not wait. Definitely shadow a nurse in the OR for a few days to see if you really like it. OR nurses also take call, so it is not just a day job.

Yeah, I'm very aware that OR is also on-call, which naturally entails any time of day.

Do you work in OR? How do you like it? How often are you on call? Did you start out in OR?

Thanks for any more info!

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Currently, I am not in the OR, but have been a member of an OR team for years and years. I actually started out on a neuro-surg floor, many, many years ago when you were required to work on the floor before a specialty. However, they broke their rules and allowed me to go to the ER after only a few months.

Depending on the facility where you think that you would like to go, find out specifics as to the amount of call that you will be expected to take, some smaller facilities can require call evero other week or so. Make sure that you find out everything in detail if you expect any type of family life. AS well as how long that your orientation will be..............

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Currently, I am not in the OR, but have been a member of an OR team for years and years. I actually started out on a neuro-surg floor, many, many years ago when you were required to work on the floor before a specialty. However, they broke their rules and allowed me to go to the ER after only a few months.

Depending on the facility where you think that you would like to go, find out specifics as to the amount of call that you will be expected to take, some smaller facilities can require call evero other week or so. Make sure that you find out everything in detail if you expect any type of family life. AS well as how long that your orientation will be..............

Thanks for the info! After thinking a lot about it with a pros & cons list I've decided to start out in Telemetry - even though it's 12hr night shifts. I figure from there I could always later on choose to go into OR & then wouldn't be needing to learn the basics in addition to all the new stuff associated specifically with the OR. I hadn't realized that smaller hospital ORs would probably have you on call more often, but that makes sense. The hospital I chose is closer to where I live & is one of the largest in the area.

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The smaller the OR, the fewer amount of staff, so the more that you need to cover. :)

Good luck with your future endeavors............ :)

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Thanks for the info! After thinking a lot about it with a pros & cons list I've decided to start out in Telemetry - even though it's 12hr night shifts. I figure from there I could always later on choose to go into OR & then wouldn't be needing to learn the basics in addition to all the new stuff associated specifically with the OR. I hadn't realized that smaller hospital ORs would probably have you on call more often, but that makes sense. The hospital I chose is closer to where I live & is one of the largest in the area.

The great thing about the tele floor is that it will give you a better knowledge base to help the anesth. staff when you get to the OR- you'll be in tune with pt status better than some nurses might be and able to anticpiate needing to lend a hand before asked. In know I'm somewhere in the middle, sometimes I know what's going on when other RN circulators are clueless, other times I'm the clueless one. Also, in my hospital, it's the nurses with tele or ICU experience that get put on the heart team, if that's something that might interest you.

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