ICU to OR, any advice?

Specialties Operating Room

Published

I have been working in a community hospital ICU and have an interview this week for a position as an OR nurse in a level 1 trauma center. I'm very excited and would really like to make the transition. :yeah:

I'm hoping there are some ICU to OR nurses out there who can share their advice/wisdom with me. The closest I've been to OR nursing was a brief stint in nursing school clinicals and the bedside procedures we do in ICU. Can any of you paint me a picture of a typical day?

TIA for any input! :D

Specializes in Pediatric.

Hi everyone! I have been a nurse for about 6 years now (Floor nursing and CVICU) and I am about to transfer into the OR. I just started NP school and my ultimate goal is to get some OR experience while I'm in school (about 2-3 years) and eventually work with a surgical team as a Nurse Practitioner. I would love work as a first assist and possibly work in CVOR where the NP or PA get to do EVH and other surgical duties. They currently have this position available where I work and I have spoken with one of the P.A.'s, and he told me that I should get some OR experience since the NP program does not really offer the surgical training, like the PA program does. The job position is for a NP/PA-CVOR.

Finally my question... Have any of you OR nurses seen many NP's work in the OR as a first assist with a surgical group? I have seen many jobs available throughout the country but I have not met many NP's doing this. I know it can be done- but I wanted to know if there are any experiences you can all tell me about.

Thank you so much,

LJ

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

Have not seen NP's doing this lately. I have seen some advance practice nurses (not sure about the NP status) who did some assisting in the OR, but mostly were used to see patients, make rounds and take out sutures, dressing changes, evaluations etc. I hope more doctors see the value in hiring NP's over PA's but the recent increase in the number of NP's is changing the game somewhat. It will be interesting to see how things pan out. To me when you spend that much on your education and licensure etc, you best get paid. Doctor's are kind of cheap when it comes to salaries. So negotiate well my friend. Good luck.

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Specializes in Pediatric.

Thanks for the reply... I know what you mean about the salary. When talking to the PA he said that was their #1 problem, their salaries. He said they kept losing people after the 2 year mark because at that point they were better trained and could get paid way more somewhere else. I think it depends on your state and hospital as well, unfortunately.

Hopefully we will start to see more nurses in this role- I think we will be the complete package! because we have the bedside plus the degree and then the skills in the OR!!

Thanks again,

LJ

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Specializes in Med/Surg; CVOR; CVICU.

Dear Cheese,

Thank you for making me LOL at 0600 after a short night of tossing and turning, envisioning myself as the NKOTB in our OR. I haven't started yet, but just yesterday, accepted a position in our OR and will be working in open heart. I've been a floor nurse for four years and I'm THRILLED to be going to dark side...actually I believe I'm coming FROM the dark side, but that's another story.

I will take your advice to heart..i especially like #3 and will do my best to stay humble yet go getting all at the same time. sigh. Here we go again..little fish, big pond..but that's the fun of it in my opinion;)

Chocoholic

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