RN in the OR?

[2bDocOc]

Question for the OR nurses. Keep in mind I'm not trying to start a flame war, I'm genuinely curious about this:

Why do we need a RN in the operating room? Most of the tasks (fetching for supplies, time-outs, advocating for patients) can be done by a LPN/Surg Tech. What makes the RN education applicable to the OR? Pre-op interviews comprise mostly of making sure documents are signed and whether the pt is NPO. I don't know any circulator that actually does a head-to-toe assessment during pre-op interview. As for med-passing, the anesthetist does that mostly. A lot of OR nurses I know are quite clueless regarding pharamcology.

I think nurses are fantastic and are much needed in health care, but I don't see why one has to go through 4 years of school to be an efficient OR nurse. Being a patient advocate requires compassion and common sense, and that's not specific to RNs.

Enlighten me. And again, I'm not trying to insult anybody. I may just be painfully ignorant as to what a circulator does. In that case, please convince me that what you learned in nursing school is actually useful in the OR?

[cdsga]

I guess you become a nurse knowing that the job entails the nursing process, and that as a nurse you wear many hats. That is historically the way it has worked. I also suppose, that over time patient outcomes and the safeguarding of the patient's care has been deemed the responsibility of the nurse who is licensed. If that role changes, and it very well may change, then we may become the overseers of all the other non-licensed ancillary personnel and with that we give up the "hands-on" care of the patient. I am certainly saddened that your school experience was lacking. I became a nurse over 30 years ago when the education was strenuous, clinically focused, and all the things I stated were covered. But that was a terrible "diploma" program which is going the way of the dinosaur. We were basically in charge of the hospital and we had much respect back then for our professional abilities and clinical prowess. I chose the OR, ICU and PACU because I could actually practice hands on care on a lower patient to nurse ratio and have enjoyed the experience immensely. I also have taught the OR internship course to many new nurses to the OR, and have hopefully given them a different perspective as to what it means to practice in this specialty. Tapping into my ICU background-which I personally feel all new nurses should start from- in order to hone their assessment skills, brings alot to the table when you are in a high risk environment like the OR. It is a very challenging thing to anticipate all the technical things and clinical things that can go wrong in the OR to a seemingly healthy individual, but OR nurses meet those challenges everyday. Techs can become nurses, and when they do, their eyes are open to the vast responsibility nurses have. They have no idea all that goes into the nursing process until they change roles. The game is stepped up, the basic education is added to daily. Some of the best nurses I have ever worked with started as Surgical Techs then became nurses. It's a different world. Just ask them, they can articulate it better than I.

[JhenRN]

I never get tired reading all your post in this thread, your experience, shared knowledge, opinions, perceptions, and suggestions to each and everyone. Right now I'm working as a call center agent and because of these, because I've read lots of thread especially this thread made me think and realize that I need to go back to my profession, how important and interesting being a NURSE is. I can say that you all guys did so great in this profession, since I'm a fresh board passer I'm hoping that i could be like you, that I could be as great as all of you. :scrying:THANKS EVERYBODY!. .:)