Overwhelming job! Oh my gosh!

Wow orientation only 12 weeks??? that's insane. And not to mention not too safe. Are you scrubbing and circulating? ooffff....I can see why that would be very stressful. First of all whoever is the clinical educator in that place needs some orienting as well. 12 weeks needs to be more like 12 months depending on how many services you do. You should not move from General to Ortho from day to day you need to spend some time in each service or your brain will not process anything. Things will just be confusing.

My advice to you is to take VERY detailed notes and go over each procedure carefully and each time you have exposure you will be able to add to your notes. That's how we all survive in the OR being rotated around 11 services. But we also each get a minimum or 6 months to 1 year on orientation. Make surgeons preference cards. From what instrument sets will need for that particular case to the meds and sutures and any extra's necessary items to bring into the room so you are prepared for the case and don't have to go crazy.

As far as the drama is concerned you will get that everywhere you go. It's sort of comes with the nursing package, often times we don't support eachother like we should. But try to be a beacon of light in a place that breeds dark energy, if you don't like drama don't get into it with anyone and NEVER say any thing that could bite you in the back (ie: tell a coworker something another one did to you...ect ect) Sometimes we can't help it, I'm guilty of it at times but I seriously can't stand drama either so I try not to get involved in any of those negative conversations instead try to put people in their best light and go about doing my business. I"m there to work and be there for my patient at the end of the day after all.

Best of luck!

The OR demands a strong personality and a confidence in your own worth. As with all nursing we tend to eat our young. I agree with the other posters that 12 weeks is unreasonable to learn all that is needed to run a room alone. There will always be the back biting and gossiping but as I tell people all the time " Good thing my self-esteem does not depend on your opinion". Keep working hard and absorb all you can. Good Luck

Im from the Philippines, and i am amazed that this drama exists in the USA. ha! talk about personality. Anyway im an OR newbie too and you are really right in stating that in the OR the seniors eat their young. In our hospital, I sometimes wonder if im an OR nurse, my seniors really love to order me around (run errands for them, ask me to drive them around, or worst asks me to bring food for them!) But as the last poster saId ''ïts a good thing that my self esteem doesnt depend on their opinion'' Ive been in this OR for half a year and im sweating it out. At times you feel bad and at times you feel like an idiot. But hey you are not alone, just though it out.
good bless to you

I am a new OR nurse on orientation (4 weeks) and we get 22 week Residency plus a 9-12 month OR orientation. If I knew I was going to be on my own in 8 weeks, I would stress out too! I have not even worked with the same surgeon twice in order to see their "three faces". But I do have to say that I love everything so far! I am glad for the opportunity to work in the OR, it is my dream job.

If you are not ready, please, please tell your director. Does your preceptor think you are ready to run your own room? You worked so hard to get your license, protect it by not letting an institution carelessly set you up for failure. When I first read your post I laughed because it sounded like you were describing bits and pieces of my work.....I don't know where things are and think they need to put a GPS tracking device on me so I don't get lost wandering around.

Good luck and please post progress.

Yes I agree some RN's in the OR "eat their young". My advice find someone who will be your mentor Hold your head high,always as if you are unsure of anything no matter how trivial. Always treat your co-workers the way that you would want to be treated. I always think that length of time and experience does not guarantee RESPECT. Everyday at work I do the best I possible can and I go home knowing that someone benefitted by knowledge and the care I gave them Do not give up and continue to do your best

12 weeks is nowhere enough orientation. I certainly hope they are not expecting you to take call. It takes a long time to feel comfortable in the OR-a minimum of a year, closer to 2. Are you going to have a resource person that you can go to with questions? You should really talk to your supervisor and tell her you don't think you are ready. Are they putting you in a specialty? This topic is a pet peeve of mine. You need to get a feel of the OR with general surgery before expanding to a specialty. You should be given some scrub experience in addition to circulating. It makes you a better circulator. I wish you the best of luck. Please come here for support and advice if you're not getting it at work. The OR is a great place to work. Unfortunately, some OR nurses eat their young. Never understood that mentality, but have seen it everywhere I've been.

Hang in there! We've all been new, but sometimes those memories are squashed.

Beth