Advice For Nurse New To The Or

suzanne4, RN · Feb 15, 2006

Welcome to Allnurses.com and the world of peri-operative nursing.

Shoes are going to depend on your feet, I would not be without my Super Birkies, but others like Dansko, etc. You need to see what works well for your foot. One significant recommendation that I can make is to make sure that they have a hard, or firm, toe, it will save your toes from getting run over with a cart or bed.

Take a look at this forum, there have been several posts recently about this very same topic. You will also find some stickies at the top of this forum to help you get started.

Enjoy your stay with us.................

aussie9 · Feb 17, 2006

Hi new to the OR,

Ive worked in theatre for most of my career, most OR nurses in australia wear clogs. Gel inserts are a good idea or even just heel gels.

The best way for you to learn about OR work is to start off by scouting, that way you learn what you need for different procedures and where things are kept.

carcha · Feb 21, 2006

I have a lot of friends who wear TEDS, however I went to an orthopod some years ago and had inserts made for my shoes which have really made a huge difference to me. I can wear the cheapest runners but with the inserts its like walking on air all day. Their expensive but worth every penny.

JLynnOR · Feb 26, 2006

Aside from the shoe advice (which is awesome), here are a few other tips:

-If you want a generalized, good OR textbook I'd go with Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery (Berry & Kohn's, as of a couple of years ago, was a little vague and didn't have the procedural step-by-steps that Alexander's does). Read all of the general-topic chapters. You'll be glad you did.

-Carry a pair of bandage scissors (I attached mine to one of those retractable ID badge holders and clip them to my scrub top's pocket) and a pocket-sized notebook.

-Learn the 15 or so rules of sterile technique. As you spend more time in the OR, you'll notice that some of the staff are lax with these. But always hold yourself to the highest standard, practicing these rules without compromise ("Sterile conscience")

-Learn whether your facility's doctor preference cards are any good. If they're maintained well and really detailed, make notes on them for the cards to be revised. If they aren't and seem to be in a hopeless state, put your personal focus on keeping notes for yourself.

-These are usually built into orientation, but try to spend at least a few days in the core and also a few days in central sterile, putting together instrument trays. This'll help you in learning where things are and the names/groupings of instruments in the trays.

-There are instrumentation books that are meant to be helpful. More helpful: get a catalog for one of the companies that provides general instrumentation (V. Mueller or something).

-Learn to love call. (Kidding, actually. I just got called in)

Hope these are helpful!

BoTnut · Mar 14, 2006

Welcome, new to the OR,

you're going to love it if you can get over the first 6 months. Some good advice a surgeon gave to his registrars/interns years ago (yes, some of them do give out good advice) was "

to search out the LPN/EN who has been there the longest and ask them for information. Generally they will tell you everything you want to know, but

you have to ask them nicely!!!"

As for shoes, I would recommend a visit to Orthotics and get measured for insoles. Although expensive initially, your feet will love you for it. Also, if you are prone to VV's from a lot of standing I would recommend stockings but get the ones for walking not the horizontal ones. I've been in the OR almost a 1/4 century (not quite a dinasaur) and I learn something new almost everyday. Certainly in the last 3 days I have. Good luck and get back to us when you feel like it.