Graduate Nurse in the OR?

[MedicGA]

hello everyone,

i am new to this site so i hope i am posting this right. i graduate in june with my rn and have interviewed for a position as a circulating nurse. some people i have talked to tell me that new rns should work the med/surg floor first and then specialize. i know that the or is where i want to be, but need some advice from people who are or nurses. what do you think of a new grad working a circulating nurse position? i hear that or nurses sometimes eat their young, but i don't want to be dinner. any advise?

[inspir8tion]

Hi, congratulations on graduating. There are TONS of forums on this very subject, just do a search. I went straight to the OR after nursing school. Good luck!

[RN60453]

Congrats on graduating, I just graduated this past december as well and have begun my orientation as an OR nurse and where I am at the nurses are terrific and helpful. I think in any facility there is that one nurse who will be particularly nasty to the new nurse, it's to be expected in any profession. If the OR is where you really want to be, don't let it get to you because with some people respect only comes with time. Good luck to ya!

[IsseyM]

You will hear that from alot of nurses. I went straight to to OR after graduation. I knew for sure that i did not want to do floor nursing...hated it mainly because the number of patients to care for. I would gladly do the floor if i had 3-4 patients without high acuity. The OR, you're only focused on one patient at a time. If you know the OR is where you want to be then go for it! Of course, always a couple or few nurses that are mean especially to newbies. Once they get to know you, they're fine (some of them). There are still nurses i don't talk to at work because they're mean or they're fake but they don't bother me anymore like they used to. Majority of staff will be nice and helpful to you. Once in a while you'll get snapped at or yelled at by a doctor, mainly because you don't have what they need in the room right away. I've heard from nurses who have worked years in other areas that they wouldn't want to be anywhere else but the OR. In fact, i've noticed all my instructors from nursing school and all the nurses on the floors have told me to do med-surg first BUT all the OR nurses have told me you really don't need to do med-surg-jump right into the OR. Good luck and keep us updated.

[JHRN2BE]

I just finished RN school and took an internship in the OR as well. Everyone advised me against it b/c of losing skills, but I am excited and feel I made best decision for me. Knew med/surg wasn't for me AT ALL! Think attitude us everything, so I am going to give it my all and plan to get my CNOR. We'll see how it goes...

Best of luck to you!

J

[BigDog]

Everyone starts somewhere why not in OR if someone wants you for dinner they will eat ya anywhere.Good luck

[Kiringat]

Wow, I'm glad I found this board. I want to be a circulating nurse like nothing else, but keep on being told that I HAVE to spend 1-2yrs on a med/surg floor first. That would drive me completly insane. Its nice to know there are people out there who went straight to OR. :)

[suzanne4, RN]

Don't listen the ones that tell you that you need floor experience. That used to be the case many years ago for any specialty, but definitely not the case now.

[a32mag4mag]

I've been a nurse for 14 years and have done med-surg in the past. I just finished a perioperative nursing certificate program. I don't believe that you need floor nursing to work in the O.R. I met plenty of great nurses in the O.R. that never worked on a floor. No matter where you go there will be mean people wanting to eat you. Hopefully you will learn to ignore them. You should work where you will be happy. It is great to have the 1:1 that you get in the O.R. Congratulations and best of luck!