Backbiting Techs.... common?

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

Did any of you starting out in the OR (nurses) have a problem with the surgical technicians? I am on orientation in the OR, as I said previously.... The plan is to teach us to circulate , and scrub, with the scrub component being taught, of course by the techs, and we are precepted by a circulator when we do that part. I just find that most of the techs at this facility are so so miserable, they talk down to the nurses, think they run the room, and it just generally seems like its an "us against them" type of situation.... I would think it would be more of a team atmosphere.... There is a group of 6 of us orientees, all RN's, all with extensive experience, albeit in other areas of nursing. They treat us like we just fell off the turnip truck, talking to us like we are 2 years old,backbiting constantly, not "letting "us

Very condescending. I was just curious if this was a semi common thing, or just particular to this facility. They complain all the time about how our orientation is horrible, bla bla bla, but I have nothing else to compare it to......I seem to think its pretty good.....

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Specializes in ICU, Surgery.

Every OR has a few employees like that (NOT just the techs). If "most of the techs" are that way, then it sounds like it is particular to that facility. Maybe they feel threatened about being replaced by an all RN staff? (I sure wish we had 6 new RN's in orientation!) Or maybe they are burnt out on training new people that seem to disappear. At our hospital, the new nurses get trained to scrub then NEVER get to do it once out. Maybe the techs don't feel like it is useful to teach? Just some thoughts. Don't let anyone bully you though! It is supposed to be about team work and hopefully you have just had some bad experiences. Don't stoop to their level, keep learning, ignore the comments. I love the OR and I bet you will also in a year :)

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

I don't care what their job title is, it's people like that that cause a shortage.

Perhaps they are burnt out on teaching, but, no one's forcing them to do it either. And they wouldn't have to train over and over if they treated people with respect in the first place.

Has nothing to do with their job title, sorry.

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

I agree ,marielpn.

I was just wondering if it was a well known tech vs nurse thing, since I have never experienced this before, its my first time in the OR.

I mean, dont get me wrong, there have also been plenty of nurses that are backbiters, and eat you up and spit you out for no good reason, but I have dealt with that before in other settings.....

Why are people in the OR, in general, so hard a** and edgey? Does the OR make you that way, or are those type of people drawn to it?

I actually love the OR, but the people are a BIG issue,at least where I am now, and I really am NOT an overly sensitive person.

Cuttingedge, thanks for the encouragement......

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Why are people in the OR, in general, so hard a** and edgey? Does the OR make you that way, or are those type of people drawn to it?

Some of it's a mix of both. It's one of those areas where you wind up getting a very thick skin.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I was just wondering if it was a well known tech vs nurse thing

Quite a few threads even on this board have that issue in the posts as well. It stems from people not tolerating others comments that degrade others and/or their position. People can say 'this is how it should be, get rid of (fill in the position here)' and then complain about the lack of teamwork with the same group of people they just alienated.

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Specializes in OR.

The atmosphere of any given OR depends a lot on the leadership you have. If treating others badly is tolerated(esp. new people) it becomes a vicious circle...You have to have a leader who lets the staff know that backbiting etc is unacceptable. Said leader has to have a strong backbone to deal with the bad eggs. I don't think that miserable people are drawn to the OR-I think I'm a pretty reasonable, well adjusted person and I love the OR. But you do have to be the kind of person who doesn't need to be liked all the time and a thick skin is a must. I've also developed a sassy mouth in this job- a lot of the "mean" docs will back right down once you give it back to them. Hang in there!;)

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.
The atmosphere of any given OR depends a lot on the leadership you have. If treating others badly is tolerated(esp. new people) it becomes a vicious circle...You have to have a leader who lets the staff know that backbiting etc is unacceptable. Said leader has to have a strong backbone to deal with the bad eggs. I don't think that miserable people are drawn to the OR-I think I'm a pretty reasonable, well adjusted person and I love the OR. But you do have to be the kind of person who doesn't need to be liked all the time and a thick skin is a must. I've also developed a sassy mouth in this job- a lot of the "mean" docs will back right down once you give it back to them. Hang in there!;)

Thanks ortess.....

"thick skin"........yes, thats what I hear. I never was the kind of person who needed to be liked all the time...... but I really have never been a unit or anything like this where this was an issue... and your right about management, this place has been run by the staff for a while, and recently new mgmt has taken over, so we can only hope things will change for the better.....it cant get any worse.....

what about professionalism? lol

One other RN in my orientation group was literally screamed at during a whole entire case, (while he was scrubbing with a tech)for reasons unknown.....and we get the questions like "have you done this before" or "who taught you how to do this". and, ugghhhhhh......I want to yell YOU are supposed to be teaching me "how to do this". I am a nurse , I am not dumb, and I am very trainable. Plus, this is a teaching hospital, with a high need for OR nurses.....I dunno!!! Well, Im off to work now!!!! Hope its a good day!!!

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maybe they feel threatened about being replaced by an all rn staff?

employment of surgical technologists is expected to grow much faster than average {increase by 27% or more} for all occupations through the year 2014 as the volume of surgery increases. http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco20016.htm

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.
maybe they feel threatened about being replaced by an all rn staff?

employment of surgical technologists is expected to grow much faster than average {increase by 27% or more} for all occupations through the year 2014 as the volume of surgery increases. http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco20016.htm

well, there are or's across the country that have an all rn staff.

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Specializes in Corrections, neurology, dialysis.
employment of surgical technologists is expected to grow much faster than average {increase by 27% or more} for all occupations through the year 2014 as the volume of surgery increases. http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco20016.htm

i keep hearing that, but at the same time i keep meeting or techs who can't find jobs.

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Specializes in ICU, Surgery.

^But But...was Ranch Girl that posted that. How did that show:

Originally Posted by CuttingEdgeRN?

I love the internet! lol :roll

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