How long until i feel competent?

mikethern · Oct 13, 2007

It will take a year to feel more comfortable. It will at least a couple years to feel confident. You will never stop learning, especially if you are expected to learn all types of surgery.

Preference cards are a circulator's best friend. See if you can get copies of preference cards to study at home. The more surgeon preferences you memorize, the more you confident you will become.

shodobe · Oct 14, 2007

It might take a few years to be comfortable enough to tackle almost any case. I know I didn't feel like anything bothered me until after 4 or 5 years, but that was just me. I would hope that they wouldn't just let you go on by yourself just because it has hit that magical number of 6 months or 9 months or whatever they feel you need to be "trained"! Most places just want a warm body to fill spots and they hope you won't screw up more than a few times. If where you work just trains you to circulate, then OK, be the best circulatore you can be. Not everyone is mechanically well-off and believe me there are those that will have trouble even screwing in a light bulb. This doesn't make you incompetent or an idiot. Take that piece of equipment you are having trouble with and practically take it apart until you know it inside and out. Get one of your buddies that knows it well and have them really go over it well. I am very knowledgable with all the equipment and have no problem sitting down with someone and explaining the basics. When you look at the overall picture there aren't that many pieces of equipment a circ has to deal with, video towers, slush machines, bovies, etc....... Technology changes all the time and equipment goes obsolete so everyone from the most seasoned to the newbie has a learning curve so don't think just because you have years of experience you are immune from making mistakes. No one is going to let you do something that will harm a patient, so don't worry about that. They are not going to waste weeks and weeks of training to let you fall on your face. I hope you have a clinical instructor that you can go to and voice these concerns. Do not be afraid to ask questions, in my opinion there is no dumb question. Better to ask before a problem happens than to wait during the crisis, bad move. Good luck, hang in there and remember why you wanted to be an OR nurse.

ewattsjt · Oct 14, 2007

I believe that is a question that will have a varied response. Some people simply get it better and others will take more time. It is usually about 1 to 2 years on the average from what I have seen. It will take some time for you to feel comfortable on cases you do not do often because you are somewhat unfamiliar with it.

Just hang on and it will come!

heartincalif · Oct 14, 2007

Thanks for the info and encouragment! Its nice to know that EVENTUALLY i'll catch on. I had one surgeon tell me (when i didnt see where the button was for the light) its the button with the picture of the LIGHT bulb. I sure did feel like a nimrod!! I always check where the lights are in the rooms and on the towers now. It sure is a hard dept. I used to think rehab was hard... doing a valve replacment tomorrow so going to read up on it. Thanks again this is really a helpful site!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 16, 2007

Thanks for the info and encouragment! Its nice to know that EVENTUALLY i'll catch on. I had one surgeon tell me (when i didnt see where the button was for the light) its the button with the picture of the LIGHT bulb. I sure did feel like a nimrod!! I always check where the lights are in the rooms and on the towers now. It sure is a hard dept. I used to think rehab was hard... doing a valve replacment tomorrow so going to read up on it. Thanks again this is really a helpful site!

You get to a point where you don't get the nimrod feeling when looking for the light button. It's only a matter of time before you'll reply "Man, he's awfully picky, actually wants to SEE what's going on."

TallBlondie · Oct 16, 2007

I will have been working in the OR for exactly one year this month and I can honestly say that after six months you will have the "idea of circulating" down pat, however, everyday is still a learning experience and people who have been working for 30+ years still continue to learn. I can remember during my first weeks that I was thinking "How will I ever remember to do all this stuff?" and being so proud that I could remember to call the time-out or turn over a room in 15 minutes and that feeling that I would never truly catch on to what the other circs were doing. Now, I still have that weird feeling but it isn't as strong. One way to get good quickly is to put yourself in rooms that are very difficult such as spine cases & orthopedic cases or interject yourself into a room with a very needy surgeon. This will make a lap chole feel like a cake walk.

tessa_RN · Oct 18, 2007

It took me about 1 year to feel comfortable..and Ive been there 2 years and I was telling someone today how I dont feel nervous anymore..I circulate every service and scrub all but neuro and open heart..Today in ortho we was using and instrument set I had yet to use and I was just calm and talked myself through it..Used to I would get so nervous and be really nervous around that doc..I was suprised at myself...I think working midnights built up my confidence alot especially since we are a trauma center..On midnights it was just me and a tech..Sometimes another tech was called it if 2 scrubs were needed...Best of luck!

Scrubby · Oct 19, 2007

I've been in the OR for just over a year. It took me about six months to feel comfortable in my practice. I was thrown in the deep end, started scrubbing on my first day in theatre as an RN. (had some experience as a student) These days if i'm scrubbing for a case and don't know the instruments, i don't really get bothered about it, I just go with the flow. The best way to learn is by time and experience.

newname · Oct 28, 2007

My educator says: It takes 2 years to feel comfortable, 5 yrs to be an excellent OR nurse.

It really takes yrs, everyone has gone through the same process.

ebear, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2007

After about a year in the O.R., I felt pretty comfortable. One day, I had everything set up just fine. When the doc went to use the bovie, he made a buzzing sound with his mouth--it wasn't plugged in! hahaha! I said "Oh...you want it plugged in too??!! Gosh, you want EVERYTHING!!!" It will come in time. Hang in!