OR opportunity, pros/cons?

Specialties Operating Room

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I am a new nurse (03 Grad) and have worked in several areas. Have always wanted to work the OR, and had the opportunity to do a shadow a while ago. Our hospital is very short staffed in the OR and there are rumors of poor morale, but the upside is, they are trying to implement a training bursary for 3 new RNs to take the perioperative training course. I've been in contact with the educator from the floor I'm on, and also applied for a position in OR with a note at the end that I realize I'm not yet qualified but am very interested in being considered for the training bursary. The NUM called me back and told me all about it and encouraged me to apply once the program is posted.

I am looking forward to new learning, love a fast paced work environment, and think that I would be a good fit here. Can you give me some pros and cons of what you all enjoy or don't enjoy about OR?

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Please answer my post, would really value somebody's input.

The Bursary application is out, and I have to do a self assessment of my personal attributes for OR nursing. Could someone please give me some advice on what types of things would sell me best. Is there something specific that they are looking for?

Please help.

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If they are that short staffed, who is going to be able to do your training? When a nurse is rushed, doesn't make for a good learning program. Is there a separate educator for the OR, or would you have your entire training done by the staff nurses?

Staff nurses are great, but they don't have time to teach you the basics in the beginning, you should have that in a classroom for a couple of weeks, or longer, before even going into the OR environment.

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i recently accepted a similar position and what i have learned thus far is flexiblity is highly valued in the OR. entering the OR with no experience has and will continue to be, my orientation is 6 months, a humbling experience. I think emphasizing how flexible you can be and how quickly you can adapt to new situations would be beneficial.

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Like you I also graduated in (03) from RN. I accepted an OR orientation for nurses without previous OR exp back in August of this year. My orientation is 10mos long:uhoh3: . Coming from the floor I can appreciate the OR. Totally diff from floor nsg. Less patient interaction more task oriented. I am being taught to scrub and circulate. Circulating can be very hard and frustrating at times --- finding equipment, trouble shooting, finding stuff you have no clue where or what it is. Also assisting anesthesia, and completing documentation (just a few things--- there is more) Scrubbing is not bad, once you understand instrumentation and can anticipate the surgeon's needs. Think about it and go for it if you think this is what you want. Funny when if first read your post I thought you were talking about my facility:chuckle We are so short staffed sometimes I'm being precepted by a travel nurse. Shout out to travel nurses--- they are very sharp and can adapt to change quickly

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Circulating can be very hard and frustrating at times --- finding equipment, trouble shooting, finding stuff you have no clue where or what it is.

I just figures out where everything is! Can you guess? Uh-huh... some brainiac decided to "restructure the instrument room for better efficency" Reall efficient me standing for 5 mins with an open pt in my room down the hall trying to figure out "If I was a nurse who works behind a desk... where would I think this should go?"

Sorry to hijack! Good Luck! It's an adventure... but a fun one!

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Thanks guys! I got accepted for the funding and will start a distance learning program in January. I should be finished the clinical/preceptorship by June.

I'm hoping to be very busy, and that the OR is too busy to be as political as nursing floors have been, maybe I'm dreaming :chuckle but one can hope!

Hope you'll be able to help if I have questions during my studies!

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Congrats nurseinlimbo, I hope you enjoy your new position. I'm a bit confused however when you mentioned distance learning. Will you not get the theoretical/didactic portion of OR orientation at your job? When I started in Aug 05 the clinical nurse educator gave us each a copy of Alexander's care of pt in surgery and AORN standards of practice. After being introduced to basic perioperative pt care we spent some time where the instruments are processsed to learn them and the different methods of sterilization. All of this and more before we actually started to scrub or circulate with a preceptor.

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The program is offered through an online learning approach for the theory, 3 courses, including the circulating role, the scrub nurse role and one other course. It takes 4 months to get through the theory, then there is some lab time and a preceptorship.

At the interview they said that I should expect to be taking homework home every night for the first year of employment.

Is this different than the OR dept. in the US? Is your learning all on the job?

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The program is offered through an online learning approach for the theory, 3 courses, including the circulating role, the scrub nurse role and one other course. It takes 4 months to get through the theory, then there is some lab time and a preceptorship.

At the interview they said that I should expect to be taking homework home every night for the first year of employment.

Is this different than the OR dept. in the US? Is your learning all on the job?

What program? Can you advise me on which program you are taking this with?

Thanks,

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I am in Alberta, and the program is part of Lethbridge Community College. The clinical portion and labs have to be done here.

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