The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly....

Specialties Orthopaedic

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I am thinking of Ortho Nursing..... Can you guys fill me in on the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Orthopedics?? I want all the Pros and Cons you can think of, just so I really know what I am getting myself into!

THANKS!

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

www.orthonurse.org The national association of orthopaedic nurses has some great literature.

The good......the get better and go home.

The good......they don't (usually) die as they have been given clearance before their surgery.

The good.....there's very, very little traction, so "all that traction" excuse no longer applies.

The kinda bad......there are some prima dona docs. If you can go to work at a teaching facility so you can bug the residents for orders.

The really bad.....not a lot.....sometimes they do die very unexpectedly......watching a pulmonary embolus occur is one of the worst things in the world......remember.....confusion isn't always the medication......all chest pain isn't pulled muscles.....

learn what petechiae look like until you are blue in the face......when in doubt call a code......!!!!

The ugly......having to call a family member......the worst in the world.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

I agree with Prn,, and will add,,

The good/and bad: Know how your ortho docs want their cases handled. Do they want to be called ONLY for ortho complications or is everything fair game for them. Find out and then go by what they want, if they dont want to be called for anything but an orthopedic complication,, by all means DONT call them call the GP or whoever the clearing doc is. (Save yourself about 10 pounds from getting chewed off your hindend).

But ortho is a really great specialty to go into.

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Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. I think I would like Ortho... especially after some good experience with another nurse.

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