How long does it take to love your OR job????

Mr. & Mrs. RN · May 19, 2010

It takes a certain personality to work in this environment. This probably just isn't your niche and that's nothing to feel bad about. It's the same in the ER and critical care. You have to be a very precise, direct person who is able to take criticism constantly and use it to help you improve. If you get hurt or bitter by correction, this is the wrong unit for you. Also, it's normal for you to feel like an idiot everyday. Most nurses have told me it takes a good 2 years before you sorta know what you're doing. I had 3 months of orientation and have been on my own for 3 months. I also came from an ASC. I don't think I have hated it once yet. There were times I wanted to cry because I got frustrated over not knowing where things were or not knowing what the surgeons were asking for. I can't tell you whether you should stick it out or not, but I hope you are able to find what type of nursing suits you.

PetiteOpRN · May 19, 2010

1-2 years before things really click. It helps if you're on a team/have a specialty so that you're working with the same scrub/circ/surgeons every day and have a better understanding of the anatomy and procedures.

Quitting during OR orientation will burn bridges. I promise it will get better. Find an experienced nurse who you can talk to on a regular basis. Give it 1.5-2 years and then you will be in a good place to evaluate whether OR is a good place for you.

divokevan · May 20, 2010

To PetiteOpRN,

You're right. I'm going to give it time. I prob wont quit I just had a loooong day when I posted. I'm just going through the, "is this really what I'm going to do for the rest of my life??" phase. It definately helps to have consistancy. When I'm in ortho rooms (where I've been placed through most of my orientation) I feel like its a good time and am energized by work. When I'm in a less familiar specialty, I feel like DEATH!

Just today, I was in a Urology room (a place I hadn't been until a week ago) and it went fine. The more exposure I have to the procedures, the better I feel. I think a lot of it has to do with the people you work with also. (I simply looove ST's on a power trip!)

To the first post,

I'm not sure where I belong, but OR/procedures has been the only thing I have even been able to stomach to this point in my short time in the world of healthcare. I am an exact person person who doesn't mind criticism ... so that's not really the problem. Plus, I get more used to that each and every day (lol). Its more attitude and submitting to being RN # 103-1 in a land of a thousand faces. Its a big hospital and a large adjustment comming from a more cushey setting where you are more of an individual.

I'll keep it up and keep going. I'm learning fast (apparent only to the others around me and not myself). It can only increase my marketability when it comes to moving towards a more plastic/asthetic ambulatory setting (which i think is where my surgical interest lies.)

Mr. & Mrs. RN · May 20, 2010

I definitely miss that about the ASC. I got along so well we the two other nurses and we had a great work environment. We were all very interested in each others lives and I felt like they always cared about what was going on in my world. I don't work in that big of a hospital, but it is definitely harder to build those relationships and you don't have as much time to chit chat.

I'm sorry you had a long day, and from your last post, it sounds like you really do love it. Hang in there, you can make it!

carluvscats · May 21, 2010

Glad you posted this question. I'm about 5 months in and I wonder nearly every day if this is a good fit. Some days I don't feel like a complete dummy; other days I can barely get through without obsessing over stuff I think I should be good at already. Gah! I am more laid-back and less assertive than most of the nurses I work with and I think it is to my disadvantage......... I dunno; maybe my personality will be shaped by the OR the longer I stay. It certainly is not for the faint of heart, that is for sure. Props to all those long-time OR nurses ~ I am not worthy!!!!!!!!!

MereSanity · May 22, 2010

It took me a year before I felt like I wasn't a total moron. Give it time (unless you dread it everyday then it may not be your cup of tea)...I love it though! P.S. I am very laid back and I think it helps me...I am assertive when I need to be but the laid back aspect helps me not to "lose it" and keep things on an even keel when others might freak out. Now, since I know what I am doing I have no problem asserting myself when necessary. If there is any glimmer of interest still in working in the OR give it time.

RogueRN · May 22, 2010

When you first start in the OR, whether you are a new grad or an RN w/no large OR experience, it is going to be very challenging --- knowing where supplies are, surgeon's preferences, process and procedures, and difficult personalities. It's a different world - that's for sure! Eventually you will get used to the flow of things, you will make some friends, and it will feel much better. BUT I would just like to caution you to think about the personality/professionalism factor.

In my opinion, if 80% of the people you work with behave like professionals towards you, then you're in a good environment. However, when it feels more like 50% professional and 50% not, you need to seriously consider a change. Not all OR's are the same.

I am an experienced OR nurse who has worked at 3 large hospitals and in my experience, environments vary from OR to OR. At my last hospital, 90% of the people (staff and physicians) acted professionally - whether or not they liked me or other people they put their attitudes in check and focused on patient care. As the the years went on, many of us even became friends which made it great to work in that OR. The only reason I left was to move up into leadership position.

In my current environment, I have been killing myself to be professional - even NICE - despite other people's bad behavior. I thought I could stick out. Now unfortunately it has taken its toll on my health (my blood pressure). This has NEVER happened in my past OR jobs. It is time for me to stop making excuses for people and take care of myself by getting out of there.

Sometimes is just isn't worth it to put yourself through hell, compromising your health and happiness, in the hopes that things will get better in a year. It's just something to think about... The good news is that there are options out there.

If you do decide to quit, definitely don't burn your bridges because OR nursing is a SMALL world. And for future interviews, make sure you ask about the OR environment, support programs for orientees, and perhaps request a meeting with a staff member.

Good luck!

carluvscats · May 29, 2010

Great posts, MereSanity and RogueRN. I would really like to stick it out and see if I can become good at what I do. Where I work, there is precious little feedback........ so I just keep going, day after day. I figure at some point somebody will tell me if I suck or not!

RogueRN, how will you know if the next job you take will not be like your current one? My thought is ~ there's just no way to know until you actually are in the trenches. What say you?

RogueRN · May 31, 2010

RogueRN, how will you know if the next job you take will not be like your current one? My thought is ~ there's just no way to know until you actually are in the trenches. What say you?

You're right... Sometimes you don't know until you are in the trenches. In retrospect, when I was considering this job, I broke one of my basic rules of thumb and went against my gut instinct. I was so busy looking at the actual opportunity itself instead of considering some of the red flags I saw along the way (during the interview process). They were little things, but as usual, I brushed it off as being insignificant. I have been in nursing for five years and spent a significant amount of time in a previous career. When it comes to choosing a job, my gut instinct has always been spot on.

Next time, I'm going to ask more questions about the actual work environment (which I also didn't do) and make sure that follow my instincts and watch for red flags.

carluvscats · May 31, 2010

RogueRN ~ indeed, the instinct should not be overruled!!!!

But......in this environment, where the employer definitely has the upper hand....desperation can lead us to take jobs we normally wouldn't. In your case, however, with the amount of experience you have, you probably have your pick of places to work. As I look at hospitals' websites, there are almost always openings for the OR. Woo hoo!

May you find that 80+% once again!

sameasalways, ASN, RN · Aug 17, 2010

I think they are going to interview me for the OR soon...I am extremely interested in what types of "red flags" to be on the look out for :) The hospital I work at is a community hospital. A little over 300 bed facility. The OR doesn't seperate different surgeries into different areas like they do at the very large teaching facilities. I have worked Med/surg for the past year. I get the impression that a lot of people at this hospital have been here since nursing school and also a lot of people have been here their whole lives, although there is a military community here which brings a breath of fresh air occasionally. Thanks!