what can I expect on an Ortho/Neuro Floor?

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Hi there,

I'm a new CNA and I'm going to a second interview for a position on an Ortho/Neuro floor. I spent one day on this floor during clinicals, but it was an abnormally quiet day. If you have any advice or experience to share about this type of floor, research you think I should do, or questions I should ask, I would greatly appreciate it. I would like to go into my next interview as fully informed as possible, and if I get the job, I want to be as excellent a CNA as possible in meeting the specific needs of this floor. Thanks!

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Specializes in Psych, Emergency, Med/Surg.

Hi there. Im a tech(CNA) on a med/surg floor. We get alot of ortho pts. I think the best advise I got was to always be there for my nurses and keep them from having extra work to do. I also help out anywhere, anyone, and anyway. Good luck on your interview. I know I really didn't give specifics, but that's my :twocents:. :D

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Thanks! :)

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

This is going to be a heavy floor as a CNA. I've worked both, as seperate units, can't imagine what it's like with both on one. In my experience, ortho was a little better b/c the patients weren't actually sick. They were there, in some cases, for elective surgeries (i.e, hip replacement, knee replacement). Others were traumas (i.e, broken bones d/t car accidents and such). It's going to be a lot of heavy lifting and repositioning. Study up on different types of tractions as you will see traction on both ortho and neuro patients. In neuro, we had spinal cord injuries, closed head injuries, strokes, epilepsy patients. Do you know what type of neuro patients you'll be dealing with yet? Study up on s/s of stroke and how to react if a patient starts having a seizure in front of you.

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Thanks, looks like I might be getting the job! Will have to see!

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I'm glad I hardly float to that floor, as one of the posters stated, it's a very heavy floor to work on. It also requires a lot of patience because those patients sometimes have a hard time moving and depending on what their surgery is you really have to take your time and be careful becauese you can pop their hip out of socket, or you can reinjure someone with a spinal injury if they just had surgery. It's an interesting floor to be able to work on because you really see a lot of cool stuff. But that's definately a floor I don't want to work on a regular basis.

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