How did you know you liked it?

Specialties Operating Room

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Specializes in Rheumatology NP.

I am still early in my residency so maybe that is my problem. But so far, I don't know if I really like what the circulator does.

Setting up the room, retrieving supplies, listening for the needs of the scrub/surgeon, etc...just the routine nature of it...I guess I'm worried it won't "do it" for me.

We had a worrisome situation with a patient's airway in a surgery...patient developed hypercapnia and it was a mystery to the CRNA. I went home and researched it and all I wanted to do was the follow the patient and figure out WHY and what to do about it. But in my role...it stops at the PACU hand-off. (And no, I don't think I want to be a CRNA).

I almost LIKE when we are running around crazy busy because at least then we aren't sitting around with all the charting done, waiting to be needed. It just feels like checking things off a list and if things are going well, you WANT it to feel that way. I guess I am needing more action. And you don't want an OR to feel like that, right?

I REALLY thought it was fascinating in the beginning, but that is wearing off. Our residency manager has encouraged us to let her know if we have those feelings. Is this normal "disillusionment" or am I not really cut out for the OR?

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Are they teaching you to scrub or just circulate in your program? Just curious.

Let me first say, the first year is a HUGE adjustment, and I'm referring to the first year after you are off orientation and being assigned independently. Orientation is an experience too, but adjusting as an OR nurse is difficult. It's not like anything you've experienced yet as a nurse or student nurse.

You're correct, these are "part" of your role as a circulator: setting up the room, retrieving supplies, listening for the needs of the scrub/surgeon...but they aren't all of it. The reason we currently have RNs circulating is that we can do SO MUCH MORE than "just" those things. My personal suggestion is that you do not adopt the "just a gopher" mentality...it's counter-productive to your development, and helps cement the argument being made to remove RNs from ORs and procedure spaces nationally...

Will be sending you a PM shortly...

PS - you can always ask the anesthesia team or the surgeon what happened to that patient post op and was the cause figured out?

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On 8/25/2019 at 8:18 PM, FurBabyMom said:

You're correct, these are "part" of your role as a circulator: setting up the room, retrieving supplies, listening for the needs of the scrub/surgeon...but they aren't all of it. The reason we currently have RNs circulating is that we can do SO MUCH MORE than "just" those things. My personal suggestion is that you do not adopt the "just a gopher" mentality...it's counter-productive to your development, and helps cement the argument being made to remove RNs from ORs and procedure spaces nationally...

I don’t mean to hijack this thread and I can’t send a PM so I hope it’s okay for me to ask a question. I’m just starting in the OR after 18 years as an ED nurse. I’m wondering what the “SO MUCH MORE” is? Thanks ?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
1 hour ago, Trixie1466 said:

I don’t mean to hijack this thread and I can’t send a PM so I hope it’s okay for me to ask a question. I’m just starting in the OR after 18 years as an ED nurse. I’m wondering what the “SO MUCH MORE” is? Thanks ?

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Thanks so much for the links. I’ll check them out now.?

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