Endoscopy nursing

ZootRN · Oct 28, 2006

Hi everyone,
I am a nursing student and will be graduating in May 2007. I really would like to one day work in endoscopy. I was wondering if there are any nurses out there who work in endoscopy or have in the past. I do realize hospitals don't hire new nursing grads into endoscopy, but I would like to find out what kind of experience I would need in order to one day work in endoscopy. Is there anyone out there who can help point me in the right direction?
Thanks

I think, you need critical care experience. But I'm not sure. Let's see what others have to say.

RunningWithScissors · Oct 28, 2006

All you do is conscious sedation and monitor the patient during the procedure. Not much involved......

UNLESS your institution is like mine, where you actually assist in the procedure, including collecting the biopsies and other samples, push the meds, AND record all at the same time.

But still, I don't see why you'd need any experience at all in nursing to do endo.

My question is......why would you want to? Unless you really can't get enough of GI bleeds, colonoscopies, and the not-so-occasional drunk who doesn't know how to chew his food before attempting to swallow it....at 2 o'clock in the morning.

coles2 · Oct 28, 2006

Really I like the surgical day care aspect of it where you get to be part of the three step process of bringing the patient in/interview, following him/her through their procedure and then seeing him/her go home along with patient teaching.

skipaway · Oct 28, 2006

All you do is conscious sedation and monitor the patient during the procedure. Not much involved......
UNLESS your institution is like mine, where you actually assist in the procedure, including collecting the biopsies and other samples, push the meds, AND record all at the same time.
But still, I don't see why you'd need any experience at all in nursing to do endo.

Taking your first statement: If an RN is giving conscious sedation and monitoring a patient for their procedure...this is a big deal. Airway is #1 in importance and I would for myself want a well qualified CRNA or RN monitoring me. Alot is involved in the safe care of a patient undergoing these procedures. Who would you want to give you or your loved one sedation...?

The next statement implies that the nurse in endoscopy is not monitoring the patient all the time. The extra chores would worry me if I was under sedation.

The 3rd statement....refer to my question in the first paragraph..."Who would you want to give you or your loved ones sedation for this procedure?"

The physician is busy with your procedure...you definately need a CRNA or an RN

PANurseRN1 · Oct 28, 2006

Usually, you don't go start to finish with pts. in endo. One nurse typically does the pre-procdure assessment, another post-procedure. Another nurse/nurses are involved during the actual endo/colonoscopy. There's no way one nurse would have the time to do everything.

RunningWithScissors is wrong, wrong, wrong. Critical care is definitely part of being an endo nurse. Endo nurses do more than just endoscopies/colonoscopies...a lot of times they are also used for pain mgmt. procedures, bronchoscopies, etc.