I got to see a hysterectomy today!

allnurses Guide · Apr 22, 2006

It was SO cool! I'd seen a shoulder replacement and found that really, really boring, but this - exciting!
This woman had a fibroid the size of a softball removed. And all of my illusions about surgery being a delicate thing had already been destroyed in the shoulder OR as I watched him try to disarticulate the shoulder from the arm. All I could think of was trying to wrest the thigh off the chicken leg.
The surgeon was in there like I dissect a frog! Using her fingers, smooshing around and under membranes, cauterizing and snipping.
I got to see the uterus and the ovaries, and watched her stich the patient up using the blanker stitch I learned in third grade.
My classmate was told (very nicely) to leave because she was getting really pale and asking if it was hot. I hadn't noticed, and apologized to her for hogging the good viewing spot. She told me to go right ahead.
The staff were really pleasant and explained things before I even asked.
My question: the person assisting, who I thought was the scrub nurse, isn't a nurse at all. She's called a "surgical technician." Is this usual? Because that's the job I'd want in there, not the circulating part watching the cautery equipment and fetching things.
And another, less surgery-specific question: I'm going to take the NCLEX-PN in June. I feel like a nurse imposter. Am I supposed to feel more confident at this point? Because while I know I can do basic patient care, and that I'll pass the test, I feel like a CNA with a license pending. Is this usual, or am I a fraud?
Man, I love this stuff. Even the med/surg floor.

We don't have RN's assist either - it is a scrub tech. And you are right - that is the job I would want. Not circulating. I'd like to be in on the action.

I'm glad you had a good experience - the human body is pretty fascinating. The first cesarean I saw amazed me because I had NO idea they took the whole uterus out of the woman's body.

As to feeling like an imposter - I felt that way too. It took a good year or so before I felt like a nurse.

Sounds like you are enjoying this though - that's the key.

steph

inspir8tion · Apr 22, 2006

The hospital I work in usually uses scrub techs, but the nurses are trained to circulate and scrub (so at times RNs scrub in too).

P.S. I graduate in May from an ADN program and plan on going into the OR program to learn circulating and scrub. I have been working as a nurse intern in the OR for 6 months and I never get tired of watching the surgeries. Scrub would be my choice of position too.

P.S.S. In my school's OR rotation I got to see open heart surgery - that was SO COOL.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2006

Why do the hospitals use techs instead of nurses for the cooler position? Cost?

And thanks, Stevie. I'm hoping that I eventually feel like a real nurse. It's just that I have so much information being crammed into my widdle bwain but I don't feel as if I OWN any of it yet, y'know?

allnurses Guide · Apr 22, 2006

I got to see open heart surgery during clinical in school. That was awesome. The doc was very cool too, talked alot about what he was doing. Those beautiful pink lungs . . wow.

steph

prmenrs, RN · Apr 22, 2006

During my program, we spent a month in OR. We scrubbed a lot. An RN always scrubbed, too, but let us handle as much as we could.

It was a Catholic hospital, and in those days, a hysterectomy was the preferred form of birth control. Yes, really. So, we did lots. I got pretty good, except one day I accidently put the needle on backwards (I'm a leftie), and got all flustered--the RN had practically gone to sleep because I had kept up until that moment. So the docs are saying "needle" "needle" "NEEDLE", I'm saying ok, just a minute. They turned around and said, "OK, let's all stop and watch Miss (last names only) get this needle threaded!" I was beet red!!!

Another time, I got to scrub on a hand case. We sat down!--very unusual. It was just me and the surgeon, and the charge nurse circulating. I was fascinated and @ the end of the case, the surgeon said to the charge nurse, "she's very good". I felt so good!

sunnyjohn · Apr 22, 2006

I still remember my first day scrubbing.

The human body is an amazing thing. It's even more amazing when you get the see the insides. It really brings those A&P lessons to life.

inspir8tion · Apr 22, 2006

Why do the hospitals use techs instead of nurses for the cooler position? Cost?
And thanks, Stevie. I'm hoping that I eventually feel like a real nurse. It's just that I have so much information being crammed into my widdle bwain but I don't feel as if I OWN any of it yet, y'know?

Yes scrub technicians are paid less than RNs.

MissJoRN, RN · Apr 22, 2006

I agree, scrubbing is kinda the "coolest" job. It isn't easy and it does take education- they need to learn A&P, basic pharmocology, etc in addition to instrumentation and sterile technique.

RNs can scrub and do in my hospital and many others. RNFAs are RNs who are further certified after extra training to assist (more, later) RNs are the only ones who may circulate though because in addition to plugging in and fetching there is a lot of patient advocacy, working with anesthesia staff, being ACLS/PALS certified, control of meds, assessment and charting, & safety aspects of the nursing process.

Assisting is not the same job as being a scrub tech. Only NPs, PAs, Residents, other doctors, and sometimes specially trained advanced scrub techs may legally assist. Assisting involves cautery, tissue dissection, suturing, etc. not just passing and holding instruments and meds (which, yes, is a very simplistic view of scrubbing)

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2006

Thanks for the input, everyone.

I remember the hysterectomy days. Lots of not-quite-40 women with a lot of kids and bodies breaking down from too many pregnancies.

ortess1971 · Apr 23, 2006

I will be graduating next month and will be working in the OR...I was very concerned because I love scrubbing and was afraid that circulating, in contrast, was going to be boring. I have had the oppourtunity to "shadow" the RN when we are slow(I'm a tech now) and circulate with them right beside me. What I have learned is that circulating is cool in its own right. Some of the best OR nurses I know were techs first and I love the fact that the circulator is the patient advocate. If the job looks easy, its because the RN in the room is making it look that way because of his/her competence. The job is what you make it-I make it a point to watch what's going on and feel like I hit the jackpot when I get my scrub something before he/she even asks. All that being said, I will still get the chance to scrub at my hospital so it's all good.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 24, 2006

My question: the person assisting, who I thought was the scrub nurse, isn't a nurse at all. She's called a "surgical technician." Is this usual? Because that's the job I'd want in there, not the circulating part watching the cautery equipment and fetching things.

Depends on the facility, for some places it is the usual. Where i work, the STs don't assist the surgeon, it had to be an RN or an LPN, which leaves the ST setting up the table and tray all the time.