Surgical Technology-Clinical Rotation

[Lord Humungus IVe]

Hello :)

My surgical technology experience....

I've been at my clinical site for the past two months and, while the surgical procedure experience is, and will forever be, fascinating, I'm perplexed at the reluctance of ALL my preceptors to actually explain how any of the equipment works. I mean, without embellishing, it seems whenever I ask someone how this and that works and/or how to assemble such and such item, it's as if I just asked about something which was a state secret.

Now, we were told in school that such reluctance should be expected if you displayed arrogance, disinterest, selfishness, or complete stupidity during your clinical rotation. There has been no such episodes- I've even gone as far as to ask my clinical instructor to ask the charge nurse if there have been any complaints about me because the list of what I'm not able to do is growing.

I'm friendly and professional and my preceptors are, too, until I ask how, for example, how to prep and load the guide wires and stents using the cysto equipment or the proper way to mix bone cement.

I've asked the night crew if this is unusual, or typical and three people have pretty much said the same thing: "The operating room is weird, man. . . I don't know. . . I've worked here for years and there are certain people I still won't go to for help."

Another- "Yeah, this place is like high school- and I don't know why."

My fellow students have concluded, "Oh, they're afraid you've come to take away their jobs."

They can't ALL be threatened by my presence- and they're all great at what they do. I've even broadcast in the politest terms (whenever anyone has asked) I have other plans and that I cannot afford to drive a truck an hour and fifteen minutes everyday, to and from work once I finish school.

So, in my humblest opinion, this must be something else. But what?

And, will it get better? Best solution (my school refuses to transfer me to a different hospital)?