age of an OR nurse?

Tri · Mar 10, 2006

We have nurses that are new and some that have been working in the OR for 30 years. It's easy to learn the ropes and it's very social. That along with working with different specialties shuld keep you fresh.

There are problems there, like all units. You just have to learn to deal with them

SFCardiacRN · Mar 11, 2006

Average age is close to 50. OR nurses have the highest average age of all nursing specilaties. Good luck!

Pitbullgirl · Mar 11, 2006

I am a brand new graduate and will start in the OR next week. I graduated in December with my BSN and turned 34 at the same time. I'm in great health, probably have more energy than some of my 20-something classmates, and a great attitude.

Age is only a number. Do what you want and life your life to the fullest.

subee, MSN, CRNA · Mar 11, 2006

I'm 43 and thinking about switching my career path to OR nursing. I've been a nurse for 20 years and have done geriatrics, dialysis, psychiatry and ALC. I can't continue on the floor I'm on and need to make a change, I'm intimidated however by the fact that I will need to learn a whole new language--I want to take the challenge, but I don't want to fail. Is this an area that I can do for the next 20 years? What is the average age of a nurse in OR?

If your OR does a lot of orthopedics, it is very physically demanding work - lots of lifting of heavy trays and even heavier patients - they don't crawl of the table! And in ortho they come industrial sized.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 11, 2006

I agree with the lifting. We have a 640 pound pt. earlier this month. Insane.

BoTnut · Mar 14, 2006

Age should never be a barrier! You are as young/old as you feel. Somedays you will feel is it worth it and other days you'll be saying, I'm glad I made the change. Go for it, you only live life once so make the change.

carcha · Mar 17, 2006

Unlike most of my OR colleagues here I would caution you to think carefully. Having been in the OR for 25 years now I am at a point of giving it up. I dont think the job has changed at all, not a bit and I still love the job as much as I did when I first walked into an OR in 1980. However the politics now involved in the job make it very hard to tolerate. Over running of lists, impatient surgeons, abusive surgeons, junior nurses who are either great or have an attitude, rarely in between, long on call, far more demanding cases. I certaintly dont want to make it seem like OR nursing is awful but there are major pitfalls there. If you were 23 years old you may put up with a lot of the agro, however as a mature entrant do you think you can tolerate the politics. If I were to leave the OR now, which I am planning to I would look at a day surgery unit where the work is perhaps not as exciting but your life is your own and you know you wont be getting up out of your bed at 0330 to drive to work on a snowy, frosty, night . Just my humble opinion.