A bit scared of orthopedics now.

suehp · Jul 20, 2008

I just got hired on ortho/neuro, and if I hear one more person say "That's a hard floor" I'm going to scream! Am I in big danger of hurting my back? :uhoh21: I think that's what scares me the most. What makes it so hard? Any tips would be appreciated.

I think it is a hard floor (are you screaming???!!!!!) but i think it is because it is a fast pace floor, post-ops and discharges all the time. My back has hardly played up since i have worked on this floor and I have worked ortho for 2.5 years. I know when other nurses float from other floors they hate it because it is sooooo busy.

So yes it is hard but it is busy busy busy lol

WindyhillBSN · Jul 20, 2008

Thanks for your response! ( I didn't scream:D)

Riseupandnurse · Jul 20, 2008

Most of the ortho nurses learned early on to protect their backs, but now the older ones are having major problems with their KNEES, having lifted with their legs all these years to protect the back.

SassyJennRN · Jul 21, 2008

Yes its a hard but to me an extremely rewarding floor. As far as the back thing goes don't ever get in too much of a hurry to raise the bed up to the proper height for dressing changes etc. and always ask for help when lifting no matter how light you preceive the patient to be. On our surgery days we as so crazy busy we have a ton of epidurals running and it seems like our census just explodes in a matter of hours. But....I really dig on the instant gratification of our patients progress. Post op day one PT has most people up taking they're first steps. Ortho surgeries for the most part restore peoples quality of life. I love hearing from my patients that they can't wait to golf, hike, bike, travel etc again...you'll be fine...and when they say ortho is a hard floor take it as a compliment cause it is but you do it!

AprilCNA · Aug 8, 2008

I don't think it's a hard floor, but from my perspective, the CPM's are a little heavy at first, but after awhile my arms are looking pretty toned and if proper body mechanics are used they won't bother the back. I find the floor less heavy, because the patients are getting up and ambulating for the most part the day after surgery, where as the cardiac floor I find heavy-more total care and heavy patients. The floor is busy with the constant adminstering of pain meds, but I think once you get into the groove, you will enjoy it. I know as a CNA my eyes were bugged eyed when I first started on the floor, but now I'm loving the fast pace and looking towards finishing nursing school to work as an RN on the floor. Good Luck! :up:

elkpark · Aug 8, 2008

My first job out of nursing school, many years ago, was on an orthopedic floor, and I had a great experience. Yes, it's busy (lots of admissions and D/Cs) and there's lots of lifting/moving, but that's not necessarily bad. Always be v. careful to use good body mechanics and whatever equipment is available to assist you with transfers. Good luck! :)

NJNursing, ASN, RN · Aug 11, 2008

I've been doing orthopedics for 2 years now and I don't hate it, but it's not my favorite. For the first day of post-ops it's rough between the nausea, the q 3 hour medication administrations (depending on the ortho group we have) the people who get all crazy and loopy on narcs they've never had before or they were on so many narcs pre-op that the PCA Dilaudid doesn't even touch them. The constant refreshing of ice packs, etc. We ALWAYS get 2 people to lift people in bed and the first day there's not a lot of lifting because they're not moving too much to slouch down in bed. Unless it's bi-lateral knees, they can use the trapeze and their good leg to lift themselves. It's a learning experience and totally not impossible. A lot of it is good time management.

NJLaurenRN · Aug 19, 2008

I just got hired on ortho/neuro, and if I hear one more person say "That's a hard floor" I'm going to scream! Am I in big danger of hurting my back? :uhoh21: I think that's what scares me the most. What makes it so hard? Any tips would be appreciated.

save ur back at all cost. i injured it 1/23/08 and am in just as much pain as day1 even after being treated (thru workman's comp) with several epidurals and fascet joint injections physical therapy, home TENS unit, etc... i'm only 28 and have a lond way till retirement. use help always. never lift with ur back and always work together. teamwork is key on orhto. ortho to me was intimidating and overwhelming at first. now i love it. i know it like the back of my hand (took 6mths till i felt confident) now i hate getting med pt's. sounds bad but ortho seems so much easier. theres always unexpected complications involved with med pt's plus 900 doctors to keep track of. at least with ortho's u know they doc's. i even have most of their cells and home numbers programed in my cell. and they don;'t mind it at all. u get an some cardiologist or internists to deal with but i love my ortho doc's. its like a big family

suehp · Aug 19, 2008

save ur back at all cost. i injured it 1/23/08 and am in just as much pain as day1 even after being treated (thru workman's comp) with several epidurals and fascet joint injections physical therapy, home TENS unit, etc... i'm only 28 and have a lond way till retirement. use help always. never lift with ur back and always work together. teamwork is key on orhto. ortho to me was intimidating and overwhelming at first. now i love it. i know it like the back of my hand (took 6mths till i felt confident) now i hate getting med pt's. sounds bad but ortho seems so much easier. theres always unexpected complications involved with med pt's plus 900 doctors to keep track of. at least with ortho's u know they doc's. i even have most of their cells and home numbers programed in my cell. and they don;'t mind it at all. u get an some cardiologist or internists to deal with but i love my ortho doc's. its like a big family

Hey I am sorry to hear about your back....hope you recover soon...

I agree with you aswell about Ortho being intimidating at first...I have worked Ortho for 2.5 yrs now (origianlly on nights but now on days) I love it....I too dont like getting medicals (although they arent as "heavy" and occassionally not as high maintenance) I like the fact you usually have one Ortho Doc to deal with and one medical Doc (unless they have co-morbidities)....ALthough they are usually a lot of meds to pass with the Ortho pt's they are usually vitamins and pain pills!!!!!!!:chuckle

NJLaurenRN · Aug 21, 2008

Hey I am sorry to hear about your back....hope you recover soon...
I agree with you aswell about Ortho being intimidating at first...I have worked Ortho for 2.5 yrs now (origianlly on nights but now on days) I love it....I too dont like getting medicals (although they arent as "heavy" and occassionally not as high maintenance) I like the fact you usually have one Ortho Doc to deal with and one medical Doc (unless they have co-morbidities)....ALthough they are usually a lot of meds to pass with the Ortho pt's they are usually vitamins and pain pills!!!!!!!:chuckle

going for my 4th epidural soon. well 2 epi's and one fascet joint injection and still hurting. recover quick was my prayer it happened now over 7 mths ago 1/23/08 and still in just as mush pain. and i'm young (28) have many yrs to go. love ortho. in fact i find it quite easy after a while(as far as the nursing part goes) not lifting well i'm not alowed to. not supposed to lift anything more than 10lbs. so the NA's take over on that part. yea meds...iron vit C, multi, and yes narcs narcs narcs. but u get used to it. esp if u have good NA's that got ur back...litterally

keira30 · Mar 16, 2009

I've been on an ortho (post-surgery) floor for 2 months now, and all I can say is wow. It is crazy-busy, even with my OCD forms and pretty good time-management ... I STILL can't seem to get it together. I am constantly running around never getting a break or lunch (I've lost 5 pounds so far) ... And always staying late to chart b/c there's no time during the day. I truly don't mean to sound so negative - just being honest. I am hoping to change jobs very soon. The long days and late nights charting are keeping me from my husband and kids, and it is toxic to our home life. My kids are asleep when I leave (have to be there at 6:30 am) and they are asleep when I get home (usually around 9:00 pm) and then the cycle repeats itself for three days in a row ... so that's 72 hours that I go without seeing my 3-yr-old and 6-yr-old.

Also, the patients and their pain meds, vomiting, comorbidities are a lot to deal with. The call bells never stop. It's a wild, wild ride. I jokingly (and seriously) call my job "going to the circus to jump through rings of fire." It's like a rat race from start-to-finish, and going to the bathroom yourself is considered both a privilege and a relief from the hustle and bustle.

Honestly, I would only choose post-surgery/ortho/med-surge if you truly, truly, truly are interested or you just really are totally committed to gaining that "backbone" experience. Otherwise, run away as fast as you can and don't look back!!!!!!!

Keira