Afraid to lose skills

[Successfulalways]

Hi there,

I am a fairly new grad (June 2011) and I am working on a neurosurgery unit. Currently, I am taking a an operating room course (certificate course) so I can become a scrub nurse. I am struggling with the idea that I am going to lose my bedside skills. I know the operating room is an exciting environment to be in with it's own skills and practices. However, I would like to get some opinions from experienced OR nurses as to what their experiences are in the operating room and how it compares to unit or floor nursing.

[MsLeylaBar]

Here's a few threads about this-

https://allnurses.com/operating-room-nursing/lose-nursing-skills-340492.html

https://allnurses.com/canadian-nurses/need-advice-662985.html

https://allnurses.com/operating-room-nursing/fulltime-prn-elsewhere-660895.html

[Successfulalways]

Thank you very much for these threads. Reading them has made me feel a lot better and secure with the route I am taking.

[Successfulalways]

If you come across anymore posts, please send them.

[ChristineAdrianaRN, BSN, RN]

Sure, maybe after some time in the OR, you wouldn't get an IV or an NG down the first time anymore, but can the floor nurses scrub an emergent craniotomy? You're right, the OR comes with their own skills, and I think they are way cooler than the floor nursing skills (and for the record, I have done both).

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

I always wonder why people are so concerned of "losing skills" To me that would be a good thing.Hopefully if you end up in the OR you will never need to use those awful floor nurse "skills" everr again. Good luck

[CIRQL8]

I always wonder why people are so concerned of "losing skills" To me that would be a good thing.Hopefully if you end up in the OR you will never need to use those awful floor nurse "skills" everr again. Good luck

VERY well said.

Sent from my iPad (so excuse any typos and autocorrects!!) using allnurses.com