Has anyone ever seen a surgery?

RainMom · Jan 9, 2012

In my 2nd semester, I watched bilateral total knee replacements & a knee scope. Ortho surgery is pretty brutal! But seeing those, plus the tibial nailing in 3rd semester, has helped my perspective now that I work on the ortho floor caring for these types of patients. When you've seen the hammering & bone chips flying, you never question the amount of pain these patients have! I also watched a couple EGD's & tonsillectomies in 3rd semester. I think I would like to try working OR, but don't know if I could manage to stand still for soooo long in one position. I had more back pain after standing still & just watching than I ever have had on an 8-hr shift on the floor.

kdbean530 · Jan 9, 2012

Mag28. How come you do not want to be an OR nurse?

kdbean530 · Jan 9, 2012

Great stories everyone! I'm so jealous of those who get an actual OR rotation! We used to have it but took it out =( It was a life changing experience for me and it could make other nursing students want to be an OR nurse. I know now that is definitely what I want to be....am going to be! It takes a certain sick individual to be an OR nurse. I knew I was meant to be when I actually liked/enjoyed the smell of burning flesh! So gross to most people. Blood didn't even phase me, and neither did the organs being removed. Plus you don't have to deal with annoying pts!

♑ Capricorn ♑ · Jan 9, 2012

@kdbean530: I have only limited experience with surgery. And, that experience is that of the point of view as a patient. I've had 5 surgeries starting when I was 16 up until last year, I'm 38 now. Three major surgeries and 2 minor ones all requiring hospital and inpatient care.

I found the operating area fascinating. Lots of people running around, phones ringing and people talking on the phones, lots of talking and sometimes laughter, papers ruffling, people typing on the computers, listening and watching the doors open and close, watching people being wheeled in and out, doctors coming in and out, a chaplain placing blessings and prayers on patients who wanted them, everyone in scrubs, caps and masks. It was a very busy place and very cold. Brrrr.

I remember the anesthesiologist asking me questions and 2 CRNAs at my bedside before I was wheeled into the surgery room. All of them very nice and reassuring. The nurses were kind, calm, happy and helpful. They did their best to make sure I had everything I needed, a warm blanket, a cap for my head, a hand to hold, and just someone to talk to before it was my time for surgery.

When it was my time to go in, I was given an IV anti-anxiety med and was wheeled into the surgery room. It was BRIGHT and cold. I was transferred to a very, very narrow table. My gown was removed and blankets were reapplied. They repositioned me in the needed way for surgery. I remember lots of things being opened and things being moved around. People talking and walking around. I remember seeing alot of equipment and a huge light over my table. Finally, my doctor was at my bedside talking to me, and that was the last thing I remember before I woke up.

I wish I could've seen more, of course, that isn't possible when you're laying down on a table. Umm...hello!!!! I am really excited to do my OR clinical rotation when I'm in school, and actually not be the one having surgery. :)

kdbean530 · Jan 9, 2012

Ya that will be an amazing experience for you to be on the other side of things! It's good to hear that you got the care you deserve. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did =)

♑ Capricorn ♑ · Jan 9, 2012

@ kdbean530 yes, it was an amazing experience from what all i could see and hear. i'm in good health now and everything is going great. :) i'm sure i'll enjoy it very much and happy to hear you enjoyed it too. good luck.

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2012

two hysterectomies (1 laproscopic, one open) one of the surgeons let me hold the uterus after he took it out! haha

a handful of tonsilectomies

two tooth extractions

3 c sections

a breast reduction

and a total knee.

they were cool to watch but i definitely dont want to be an OR nurse. its a lot of standing in one place for a long time, and i like to actually interact with my patients, hard to do when they are zonked out for hours and then whisked away to pacu. but hey, its not for everybody, and im glad there are people that are interested in it!

leilo0, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2012

Hi Mag28.

I love the OR and would do anything to go straight to it (I'm a new grad)

My question is, Why don't you want to be an OR nurse?

I'm curious about what you may not like about it.

The only thing I can think of is the smell as they cauterize the flesh.

But seeing the surgeries are so awesome!

lrobinson5 · Jan 9, 2012

I think the main reason I wouldn't want to be an OR nurse is that there isn't much to do other than record. The hospitals in my area (and possibly many more) don't train RN's to assist anymore. They are all just recording and doing other duties in the OR.

That and I just cannot wear a mask for that long. I feel like I have zero oxygen when I put one on.

AZMOMO2 · Jan 10, 2012

Yes I saw 5 different procedures during my Med/Surg PN clinical experience. It is what sparked my interest in actually wanting to be in the OR in the future. I got to assist with someone in every experience. It was awesome!

My favorite was an emergency surgery for a near amputation( squeezed blood, spiked and hung IV fluids, I also so a scheduled amputation- positioning the patient and betadine scrub, a skin graft- I don't remember what I did for this one, a wound excised and drain placement- betadine scrub, got sutures for the surgeon and threw them into the field, and a lapcoley- foley insertion while under anesthesia.

I was lucky to work with the same preceptor during my experiences who was all about letting me be involved and surprisingly the surgeons were awesome too. They let me in close to watch, asked me to get things, and quizzed me on things. (I hear that is called pimping) but it was my favorite by far.

CheesePotato, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2012

Greetings--

Mmmmm....surgeries. Heck yeah, surgeries are awesome. Every now and again I forget how cool they are and then something comes along that jolts me out of my "been there, done that" mindset. Like the young gent with half a fence post through his abdomen. Yeah. That'll do.

It is good to see a discussion regarding the dark side of nursing, AKA OR nursing, however, I tend to see a few misconceptions which I wish to clarify.

I do more than chart. Much more than chart. I am more than a glorified go-fer, although I will not deny that is part of what I do.

I am the muscle, the unsterile hands of my team when I circulate, and the ever watchful advocate. I know my patient is getting light well before anesthesia does: I can sense it. I do not request more anesthesia for my patient. No. I demand it.

As the sole nurse in the room, when things go wrong, it is all me until the cavalry arrives.

As a Trauma leader, when the big nasty/yummy gunshots roll in, I am all over it. I have massaged hearts, held in intestines, prepped the brains out of someone's eye socket, cradled limbs hanging by a thread and even welcomed infants into this world. I assist in intubations, ventilations, placement of lines and chest tubes. I push in blood, manage IV drips, and act as anesthesia's right hand.

All while singing along to "Elvira" by the Oakridge Boys.

Did I mention that I chart? Yeah. I do that too.

So sure, occasionally things are quiet. Every now and again I do some good old fashioned open heart cases. Or, my personal favorite, hemorrhoidectomies. yeah......

But it's all good.

Because I focus on one patient, one family at a time. It is a rare luxury in the nursing world to be able to dedicate such time and attention to one individual.

And that individual is truly at their most vulnerable: all control is literally torn away, rendered unable to communicate, or even breathe for themselves, stripped naked and completely helpless.

I guard them as they sleep, cover them and keep them warm.

I have sat in the waiting room with families too hysterical to be soothed by the Chaplain alone. I have helped families look past the tubes, bruising and external fixators to see the face of their beloved child. I have held hands, listened to secrets, and wiped away too many tears.

And I only have five minutes to earn my patient's trust. I do not get the time granted to floor nurses to form rapport. Five minutes for my patients to feel comfortable enough to trust me with their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

We are the ninjas of the nursing world, operating under the smoke screen of Versed, just as soon seen as forgotten, the dressing on your operative site being the only evidence we exist.

In answer to another question: yes, it is very possible to work as an OR nurse direct out of school. Check out area hospitals to see if they have an orientation program in the OR.

Lemme tell ya, when Humpty Dumpty had his great fall, they didn't call King's horses and King's men.

They called the OR.

God, I love my job.

Always open to any questions/comments regarding the OR. Please feel free to PM me.

Peace.

leandrito · Jan 10, 2012

Well as a volunteer we dont get to see surgeries but my passion and my hard work was seeing for the director of bone marrow hospital at miami children hospital and he invited me to observe a bone marrow transplant for harvest and the transplantation ... actually i run the lab specimens.. he treated me like one of the other residents... it was an awesome procedure.. not that much of slicing up the patient but it was cool anyway... ( i studied the whole procedure the night before, so i was an sponge and every time that he asked a question i was ready for the answer ) lol happy and very interesting