a future in OR? I think I'm in love!

[PlourdieRN]

Up until now I've been trying to keep an open mind and experience as many fields of nursing before I decide which direction I want to go... and then I spent my clinical day in the OR for observation :redbeathe

I LOVED the seamless teamwork and fascinating procedures! I realize that it's not bedside nursing... and a small part of me thinks that I should "do my time" in a field like med/surg, but I can't help but think that the OR is so much more exciting and interesting. I think I'm afraid that I'm going to lose my "skills" of bedside patient care if I go into the OR.

I used to be an EMT and I feel like I would enjoy critical care like in ICUs, or lots of diversity and thinking-on-your-feet like in the ER... so I was surprised by my excitement with the OR

what kind of people do well in this field? What would you guys say is the down-side to the OR? which do you love more: circulating or scrub nurse?

[Anisettes, BSN, RN]

Lots of different people love the OR. I did ED and Trauma resus for about 10 years and loved it... until I didn't anymore and so for the last 10 years I've been working in the OR (among other things) and I still love it. Yes, there is a lot of teamwork, but you also have to be independant and think forward to get things done to make it look like it's seamless.

As for the best thing (for me) is that much as I enjoy patient interaction, to be honest it's nice to take care of someone who is out and in la-la land. No whining, complaining, spitting, calls for security, etc... Even if they're doing it in the beginning, it only lasts as long as takes to push some propofol and then it's night-night.

The worst - is that you can't push some propofol on some surgeons and anesthesiologists. I've seen highly educated, mature (or masquerading as such) adults throw tantrums that would put the worst terrible-two'er to absolute shame.

The cases can be BORING (think lap appy) to interesting (and heartbreaking - think combat trauma or child gunshot victim). If you like it - give it a shot, do what you feel pulled to, don't do what you THINK you should. Nursing is great in that it has such lateral mobility, you can always cross train to other specialites - lord knows I have done a few things.

Good Luck!