Advice. Should I stay or should I go?

Amistad, RN · Oct 9, 2020

Hi there! I’m an OR nurse and have been in the OR for almost 5 years. Prior to the OR, I worked in inpatient oncology and did a short stint in an office setting. OR nursing is a totally different setting to most nursing specialties. We provide patient care but not in the same way as nurses do on the floor or in an office. Remember that while the patient is under anesthesia, you are that person’s eyes and ears while they are completely vulnerable. One of the most important things we do is ensure the patient is positioned safely. Patients can get pressure or nerve injuries very easily if not positioned carefully and they are in that position for several hours. These injuries don’t always show up immediately after surgery or while they’re recovering in the hospital so you may not hear about it. Some other examples of injuries that have been caused by staff in the OR: a prep solution pooled in the eyes of a patient under the drape and caused blindness. A patient was not secured adequately and fell off the OR table while the bed was moved into steep trendelenburg, the patient’s head hit the floor and resulted in death. We as nurses in the OR can be diligent and speak up for our patient when something is not adequate. We also care for the patient by anticipating the needs of the surgical team and anesthesia. Those are just a few ways we OR nurses care for our patients. BUT it is not the same as caring for awake patients and is not for everyone. I think if you are not finding meaning and purpose in your work it would be reasonable to look for a different specialty!

Best of luck with your decision!

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 9, 2020

On 10/4/2020 at 11:47 PM, Swalton19 said:

I really miss patient care and feel like I’m missing out as a new nurse.

As noted above, you are still providing patient care, it’s just very different from the type of patient care you were exposed to in nursing school. But only you can decide if moving to a new specialty is the right path to a happier you. (Sometimes the grass is only greener because the “fertilizer” is different)

On 10/4/2020 at 11:47 PM, Swalton19 said:

I did my preceptorship in the PACU and absolutely loved it. Should I try and transfer there

In my experience, most PACUs prefer critical care experience and very few accept new grads. One of the PACUs in my facility test piloted new grads. It didn’t work out. If PACU becomes a goal, you’ll want a solid few years of medical surgical nursing and/or critical care experience under your belt.