I am curious about the type and length of orientation any of you have received.
I started in the O.R. mid-September, and to date have had about 4 hours of classroom orientation (a mixed group of RNs and NAs) which was a review of sterile technique. Basically, we were just placed in rooms with a different person and type of case each day, and expected to pick out the best techniques of each nurse and learn the routines (sometimes you don't know what you don't know, which makes it even tougher). We also spent a day in Sterile Processing and a half-day in our core workroom.
I feel as though this has been trial-by-fire, and that those of us who started a few months ago have been cheated out of an orientation that gives us the knowledge to function optimally. Everyone keeps saying how incredibly well I'm doing, but I still feel very much out of my element. I have run rooms alone, but am stressed to the max when it happens, and have contemplated moving back into another clinical setting. I would really like to hear from some of you who have some experience with OR nursing as well as what your orientations were like. Bear in mind that I have NEVER worked OR before.......Thanks for letting me rant a bit
