I want OR and the floor - how to do both?

[GratefulHeart]

Is it possible after getting a couple of years of M/S or other floor experience to also train and beginning working in the OR as well? IOW, will most hospitals permit a nurse to work in two different areas?

[MissJoRN, RN]

I'm a specialty hopper- good a a lot of things, excellent at nothing- so this may be the first time I have any real expertise, LOL.

I did floor nursing first, FT, for a few years (with just a few pvt duty shifts) then transitioned to OR FT in the same hospital. Occasionally I filled a gap on my old floor (during the long OR orientation that worked out well, since I needed the confidence boost of working independantly in an area where I was really comfotable with anything that could be thrown at me... and it was fun to confuse the surgeons, LOL)

After a couple years in the OR, I decided I didn't like it and returned to my old floor... now, a couple years later I've learned that I do like OR but not as a FT job! I work 1-2 days/wk in OR and also 1-2 days on the floor. I coulddo more if I wanted. I could be in the same hospital, I know my OR hospital would do that, but they don't really have a peds dept so I work at two. They would have combined an OR PT with a MS PT and both depts would share the expense of benefits to create a FT job.

Both hospitals are med or large facilities. I also worked in a small rural hospital that had one OR and did a limited number of surgeries so that the OR staff had to do floor or ER work, also.

[ortess1971]

I found this question interesting, because I have been considering cross training in the ICU once I finish my orientation in the OR. I may want to become a CRNA someday so I would need ICU experience(at least for the programs around here) Glad to know others have done it...

[redraccoon, BSN, RN]

I've worked both at different times - I like my OR job, no way would I ever go back the floor.

[lpjmmb]

I found this question interesting, because I have been considering cross training in the ICU once I finish my orientation in the OR. I may want to become a CRNA someday so I would need ICU experience(at least for the programs around here) Glad to know others have done it...

Hello i'm a new RN too and have been trying to figure out whether i should go into OR or CCU because i want to be an anesthetist someday. Do you think it will be difficult making that transition from OR to CCU? Thanks!

[sunnyjohn]

Why not got ICU-->PACU--->OR? That way you would have some continuity, three specialties and the time put in for CRNA school.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

My hospital permits me to work in different areas, but i couldn't do that until my OR orientation was up, since you had to be full time during orientation.

I then trained for Ambulatory Surgery Pre-op, and did ER orientation this summer. I now work PRN in ASU pre-op, PRN in the ER on weekends (about one or two days a month), and OR full time, typically in the orthopedic rooms.