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Hello All,
I'm new to this forum and just recently started looking into nursing as a profession. I would really like to work in the OR and I'm hoping you guys can help clear up a few things for me. I hear Operating Room nurses referred to as: Surgical Assistants, Surgical First Assistant, Operating Room Nurse, Scrub Nurse, Circulator Nurse, Surgical Techs, etc...
First of all how many types of OR Nurses are there and what do they all do? I thought I had this narrowed down when I started looking into nursing then into OR nursing. Geez.
Thanks for any help in advance.
new to OR nursing--so do the regular RN's actually do any of the hands on work in the surgery? i realize a lot of this varies hospital by hospital, by majority of the time, what is the case?
See thread....
https://allnurses.com/forums/f39/what-scrubbing-what-circulating-159789.html
new to OR nursing--so do the regular RN's actually do any of the hands on work in the surgery? i realize a lot of this varies hospital by hospital, by majority of the time, what is the case?
I am still in my internship, but I do scrub a bunch! (I hand instruments to the surgeons, hold retractors, irrigate, suction, and sometimes, have to cut the sutures.)
As a circulator, other than interviewing the patient, I have to prep the incision sites, insert foleys, document, and make sure the scrub and surgeons have what they need.
I work for the UT system, and they have a 9 month program where I am.
As far as becoming an intern, they do not expect you to know anything about the OR. Schools just don't teach it....the schools want you to take extra classes for the OR...lol
I can say, after my internship is over, I doubt I will scrub as much. However, at least I know that I will be able to do both, and can take call for either...if needed.
FaLaLa134
22 Posts
new to OR nursing--
so do the regular RN's actually do any of the hands on work in the surgery? i realize a lot of this varies hospital by hospital, by majority of the time, what is the case?