In Need Of Your Tips....i'm A New O.r. Nurse

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After being in the medical/surgical floor for 4 months, I am now transferred in the operating room (special area) of the same hospital, and this my first hospital experience after graduation about 2 years ago. Operating room is very much different from the MS floor. I hope I could adjust well.I need your tips please!! I am nervous of this new job...like the correct packs to prepare, the aseptic technique, the proper way of handling instruments to surgeons, and a lot lot more!! Any word from you would definitely help!!

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if patients have not been anesthitized (spelling?) yet when they enter the OR, act confident even if you are not. This will calm them. (This is advise from a patient)

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
After being in the medical/surgical floor for 4 months, I am now transferred in the operating room (special area) of the same hospital, and this my first hospital experience after graduation about 2 years ago. Operating room is very much different from the MS floor. I hope I could adjust well.I need your tips please!! I am nervous of this new job...like the correct packs to prepare, the aseptic technique, the proper way of handling instruments to surgeons, and a lot lot more!! Any word from you would definitely help!!

Surely you'll receive the training for this stuff?

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i'm with marie - tell us you're getting at least a 4-6 month orientation, right?? if not, i hope you realize that you'll be teaching yourself, and will be put into some dangerous (for the patient, the or team, and your license) situations. please post back and let us know.

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Has your hopsital scheduled any type of orientation for you? You will definitely need this, the OR is quite different from anything that you learned in school. I know that it is quite hard to find a position in the Philippines, but please do not accept a postition like this without some type of definite orientation program.

Your license will be in jeopardy, as well as the life of your patient. If you are getting an adequte orientation, we will be more than happy to offer helpful tips, but if not, we cannot...............

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hi marie ,i am jayendra kana, i am nurse in operating room in the sanglah general hospital bali indonesia . i was transferred from emergency unit in the same hospital.same like you,i feel nervous so much till my hands tremor.but now not any more.I have tips to you to be operating room nurse.For the first time you must know the scheduled,and you understand about it.for second ,you must look around of you avocation take breath to long.Tertiary fokus you mind to step by step operation.And you will not nervous anymore.

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i'm with marie - tell us you're getting at least a 4-6 month orientation, right?? if not, i hope you realize that you'll be teaching yourself, and will be put into some dangerous (for the patient, the or team, and your license) situations. please post back and let us know.

yes, i am having now a 6-month orientation. there are also some senior staff members who are really willing to give me advises & teachings. and also, initially, i am allowed to observe on different cases. then after being given that ample time, i will then be exposed as a 2nd scrub nurse, then as a solo scrub nurse of minor cases but still with supervision, and then, step by step until i get used to major cases. but of course, amidst these things, i feel nervous & a bit overwhelmed of this new environment that i have now. bedside nursing is really different from operating room nursing.

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After being in the medical/surgical floor for 4 months, I am now transferred in the operating room (special area) of the same hospital, and this my first hospital experience after graduation about 2 years ago. Operating room is very much different from the MS floor. I hope I could adjust well.I need your tips please!! I am nervous of this new job...like the correct packs to prepare, the aseptic technique, the proper way of handling instruments to surgeons, and a lot lot more!! Any word from you would definitely help!!

Firstly and foremostly, have you been educated as to the techniques & skills needed to be in the OR? If not, you need to speak with your manager/administrator and ask to be entered into a course as such. If you have been trained, then, it's basically, listen to your more experienced RNs or scrub techs. They know a lot. Have an open mind and a good attitutude. Be receptive. Don't take it personally. Absorb the info like a sponge and let the insults, sly comments, etc. slide off. Read up on OR surgeries, techniques as much as possible. Research the surgery you will be doing the next day. Ask for policy & procedure manuals. Ask for a proper orientation/preceptor prior to being thrown in on your own. If at anytime, you do not feel confident & comfortable in performing a duty/skill/procedure, please ask for advice, help, support, supervision. Good Luck!

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I can still remember those butterflies and for me my start in the OR was 23 yrs ago. It seems while there has been a needed emphasis on surgical technicians now being formally and specifically trained for work in the operating room RN's are still lacking a consistent and uniform orientation and training program for the foreign world of the OR. Which is how I found this site today. After being away from OR nursing for a couple of years, I have been asked to train a new circulator and the hospital does not have an orientation schedule or checklist. Does anybody out there have an orientation schedule or training package they could share on this site or private message to me. Thanks!

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Firstly and foremostly, have you been educated as to the techniques & skills needed to be in the OR? If not, you need to speak with your manager/administrator and ask to be entered into a course as such. If you have been trained, then, it's basically, listen to your more experienced RNs or scrub techs. They know a lot. Have an open mind and a good attitutude. Be receptive. Don't take it personally. Absorb the info like a sponge and let the insults, sly comments, etc. slide off. Read up on OR surgeries, techniques as much as possible. Research the surgery you will be doing the next day. Ask for policy & procedure manuals. Ask for a proper orientation/preceptor prior to being thrown in on your own. If at anytime, you do not feel confident & comfortable in performing a duty/skill/procedure, please ask for advice, help, support, supervision. Good Luck!

It's all good to expect the standard training you get in the USA, but I'm sure it's different & expectations & training is different in the Phillipines. Not all nurses are unionized and can expect certain training minimums.

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Training is very different overseas, as well as equipment that is available in most countries.

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After being in the medical/surgical floor for 4 months, I am now transferred in the operating room (special area) of the same hospital, and this my first hospital experience after graduation about 2 years ago. Operating room is very much different from the MS floor. I hope I could adjust well.I need your tips please!! I am nervous of this new job...like the correct packs to prepare, the aseptic technique, the proper way of handling instruments to surgeons, and a lot lot more!! Any word from you would definitely help!!

GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! Just kidding. Bottom line....know your stuff. There are people there who will sabatoge you just to make themselves look good. Also, if a surgeon verbally abuses you, report him immediately. I'm a circulating nurse, so establish a good rapport with your circulator. Were you offered a class? Get in there and get certified as an OR nurse. Any sign of weakness will be met with ridicule. Know your stuff, don't take any crap and be confident!!!

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