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| Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 2 | 
Feb 02, 2009, 06:03 PM
 Re: too nice/quiet for the OR?
I do like it, I enjoy the blood and guts very much  I just cringe when I know I'm going to be with a surgeon who has the potential to be nasty. I don't know how to deal with it...I work at a major regional level 1 trauma center, I think possibly going smaller would possibly be a help as well...not to mention something has to be closer. It's an hour-long commute.
 | | No. 4 |
Feb 03, 2009, 12:51 AM
Re: too nice/quiet for the OR? Originally Posted by QHnurse07  ...I work at a major regional level 1 trauma center, I think possibly going smaller would possibly be a help as well...not to mention something has to be closer. It's an hour-long commute.
If I were you, I would switch to a closer hospital, but it won't necessarily be easier. The nice thing about level 1 trauma centers is that there are surgical residents and anesthesia residents that do a lot of your work. In a smaller hospital, you have to help the anesthesiologist more, and scrubbing is often harder because you often have to first-assist while being the scrub nurse.
If you do switch to another hospital, you will probably get a lot more respect because you will no longer be the newbie. In your current hospital, you will always be seen as the nurse that they taught. In a new hospital, you will be seen as an experienced nurse who knows what she is doing.
| | No. 5 |
Feb 03, 2009, 05:28 PM
Re: too nice/quiet for the OR?
Hey-
I'm just starting out in the OR and this is a big worry of mine. I don't think that I'm too nice, but I am non-confrontational in the sense that just because a doc snaps at me or says 'hurry up. i need that now,' I'm not going to get all up in his face and tell him not to talk to me like that, etc. I don't think that makes me a whipping girl. I just think it makes me someone who picks her battles and doesn't sweat the small stuff, but I've been told that snapping back is the way to get surgeons to leave you alone.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'act out.' I don't think it's in my job description to reprimand a surgeon who is acting a fool unless his behavior might compromise the patient's safety. However, if you DID observe a sterile field break that would you be able to speak up about it? Some of your hesitance may just be lack of confidence. You don't feel like you're performing at your peak ability yet, which is normal I think after just 1 year in the OR, so how can you point out flaws in someone else's performance. This should fade in time as you gain confidence.
Does your hospital have an EAP program? There's no shame at all in talking to someone about your communication issues. I'm not saying 'rat out' particular surgeons. I'm just saying talk to someone who can help you have an easier time communicating and dealing with difficult personalities. if you can't do this, go to a trusted OR coworker and ask their advice. Maybe you're unconsciously exaggerating the extent to which you're an 'outsider.'
I've always been respected as a good worker and I might become depressed if my OR environment is one where I am constantly belittled and berated. My floor experiences weren't any better though. Maybe dealing with a few high-strung surgeons is easier than 8 cranky patients and multiple catty coworkers.
If not, cheer up, your long commute gives you an easy out to quit and you can always do something like research or disease control or go work for the people who make laproscopic equipment, etc. It's nursing--the opportunities are endless
Good luck girl
| | No. 6 |
Feb 03, 2009, 10:27 PM
Re: too nice/quiet for the OR? Originally Posted by lilla_fjaril Hey-
I'm just starting out in the OR and this is a big worry of mine. I don't think that I'm too nice, but I am non-confrontational in the sense that just because a doc snaps at me or says 'hurry up. i need that now,' I'm not going to get all up in his face and tell him not to talk to me like that, etc. I don't think that makes me a whipping girl. I just think it makes me someone who picks her battles and doesn't sweat the small stuff, but I've been told that snapping back is the way to get surgeons to leave you alone.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'act out.' I don't think it's in my job description to reprimand a surgeon who is acting a fool unless his behavior might compromise the patient's safety. However, if you DID observe a sterile field break that would you be able to speak up about it? Some of your hesitance may just be lack of confidence. You don't feel like you're performing at your peak ability yet, which is normal I think after just 1 year in the OR, so how can you point out flaws in someone else's performance. This should fade in time as you gain confidence.
Does your hospital have an EAP program? There's no shame at all in talking to someone about your communication issues. I'm not saying 'rat out' particular surgeons. I'm just saying talk to someone who can help you have an easier time communicating and dealing with difficult personalities. if you can't do this, go to a trusted OR coworker and ask their advice. Maybe you're unconsciously exaggerating the extent to which you're an 'outsider.'
I've always been respected as a good worker and I might become depressed if my OR environment is one where I am constantly belittled and berated. My floor experiences weren't any better though. Maybe dealing with a few high-strung surgeons is easier than 8 cranky patients and multiple catty coworkers.
If not, cheer up, your long commute gives you an easy out to quit and you can always do something like research or disease control or go work for the people who make laproscopic equipment, etc. It's nursing--the opportunities are endless
Good luck girl
Good post..I was always told I was "too quiet" for the OR and I never thought of myself as confrontational. Two and a half years later, and I told off 2 anesthesiologists and a surgeon just in the last month. I didn't swear or scream, but I let them know in no uncertain terms that I didn't appreciate the nonsense. Also helps when you have support from your workplace...mine has just seemed to realize that nasty attitudes from medical staff can negatively impact care(Well, duh!   ). I did not suffer any repurcussions from my assertiveness...if anything these people have treated me better. So, as scary as it may be, sometimes you have to stand strong.
| | No. 7 |
Feb 05, 2009, 09:03 AM
Re: too nice/quiet for the OR?
thanks for the replies, everyone!  Issey:somehow I'm the only person in my periop group that's shy and quiet! Is it all getting better for you? I really hope so, everyone says it only gets better. I'm SO glad that you know what i'm talking about. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one and I'm just weird and antisocial or something.
Linda: I will probably switch to a closer hospital at some point, I'm really going to try to hang in here for awhile, at least until September so I get some of my tuition reimbursed. I think a smaller, close hospital would be great but I have also considered that I will have more responsibilities and tasks there. Probably if I stay where I am for awhile, even if just for experience; it will be better for me once I finally do make the switch.
Lilla: It's not that my OR is bad, and most of the surgeons are relatively nice. There are that special few though...I think I just am mainly stressed because I feel like I don't have good working relationships with the docs and they don't really know me. I think they and I would be more comfortable if they knew I was fine and capable. I just need to start talking more!
Witchy: I've thought about going non-clinical as well, but it seems like the jobs are hard to find. I've looked online and there are lots of management positions (which I obviously wouldn't want to do since I don't like confrontation, etc) and other jobs which require years of experience in that position. Neither of which benefit me right now. One of these days, I PRAY that I will be able to tell somebody off! I'm pretty sure that will improve my self-confidence immediately. I think I'll survive this just because I get along w/the nursing staff and have friends from work that I go out with...so I'm not totally on my own.
Also, in general, I've figured out last night that my mini-meltdowns at work are occurring before my monthly joy! I noticed that around the week before, I'm so ready to quit and not even be a nurse anymore...and then the next day I have a fine day and all is well. My fiance has noticed this as well, so maybe I need to keep this in mind before I freak and make a rash decision.  | | No. 8 |
Feb 06, 2009, 01:48 PM
Re: too nice/quiet for the OR?
Hey I'm kinda like you, a little shy, unconfident, and I work in the OR. However, I work in an outpatient surgery center (never the hospital OR) and all of our doctors are really really nice!!! Only one or two have yelled at me (out of 9 surgeons) but the rest are incredibly nice, even help set up the OR/patient/meds/get their own supplies, etc so it makes up for the 2 not so nice ones. Perhaps you could find a smaller surgery center (2-3 ORs) with notoriously nice surgeons and young staff. I think that would really help you!! You definitely have enough experience. Plus no call, weekends, holidays, etc etc. Good luck!!!
| | No. 9 |
Feb 06, 2009, 08:39 PM
Re: too nice/quiet for the OR?
From my own experience I too can remember how intimidating the surgeons were at first and how embarrassed I felt when being reprimanded.
My advice is if your being yelled at, don't yell back because your going down to their level. What I do is cut in and say 'Hey!' really loudly to cut them off. I'll then tell them not to talk to me like that, I work much better when I'm not being yelled at'. If this doesn't stop the yelling then turn your back on them and just start speaking to someone else in the room about something completely unrelated like 'hey how about this weather we're having'. What are they doing to do, report you for ignoring their childish behaviour? You will get far more respect when you demonstrate to them that you will not react to their bullying, you are above yelling back at them and being just as bad, and that you are able to ignore them.
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