Advice for nurse considering OR

Specialties Operating Room

Published

I am looking for advice from experience OR nurses. I am a 2 year med/surg nurse interested in switching to an OR setting. Of my many concerns, I worry that as a type 2 diabetic that I might get myself into a room and not be able to help myself if I feel a low blood sugar event coming on. Can anyone give me advice on this? Also, I worry about standing long hours on my feet (since I have a slight bit of neuropathy, and frequently experience numbness in my feet.) I really like the OR, (or at least what I have seen) and want to make this work, but I have to admit this is a big concern for me.

thanks for all your help and advice ahead of time,

kdmcook, RN

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Can you keep a piece of hard candy or something in your pocket that could be helpful if your sugar drops? As a circulating nurse, you don't stand in one place for very long so the standing probably wouldn't be any more than you are used to as a med/surg nurse.

Jaimee

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

We keep candy in our rooms for this verry reason. You never know when someone's going to have a 'sugar moment'.

Plus, if you feel like you need a moment to step out because of this, do not hesitate to call out and get a relief.

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If you DO have a low sugar problem, a hospital is the best place to be! :)

As long as you're not scrubbed and sterile, taking a sugar hit should not be a big problem.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
If you DO have a low sugar problem, a hospital is the best place to be! :)

As long as you're not scrubbed and sterile, taking a sugar hit should not be a big problem.

Even if you're scrubbed, taking a sugar hit should not be a problem. It's easy to poke candy through the side of the mask.

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Even if you're scrubbed, taking a sugar hit should not be a problem. It's easy to poke candy through the side of the mask.

:yeahthat: Anything that can fit through the side of a mask can be taken if needed. I get cough drops on long cases when I have a nagging cough.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
Even if you're scrubbed, taking a sugar hit should not be a problem. It's easy to poke candy through the side of the mask.

Its nice to know Im not the only one piping chocolate milk through a surgeons mask for long cases...heehee.

But seriously, when I was gestationally diabetic, they were very consious of getting me out at 11am for lunch and making sure that I was able to snack and stuff throught the day, and I am at a big 20 OR hospital. It did require a DR note on my part.

Good Luck:monkeydance:

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Its nice to know Im not the only one piping chocolate milk through a surgeons mask for long cases...heehee.

I'd rather do that than have to crawl under their gown to get their pager ANYDAY! lol

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I'd rather do that than have to crawl under their gown to get their pager ANYDAY! lol

:rotfl: ... good point

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

So scrubbing requires more standing for long hours? Do you get relieved? How long are you standing in one spot without relief?

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
So scrubbing requires more standing for long hours? Do you get relieved? How long are you standing in one spot without relief?

Sometimes it requires that.

Some are offered relief but some may refuse it, depending on what's going on.

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Specializes in OR Internship starting in Jan!!.

Ah, thanks for the info!

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