Is working in the or really that stressful?

midlife_nurse · Apr 13, 2011

It is fast paced and depending on the kinds of cases you are doing, you may be moving fast all day. The OR I work in has long cases. Once you get the patient prepped, draped and all the equipment hooked up, you have time to document. The longer cases can be boring once you get really efficient.
I've really learned to have good hearing. It takes practice being able to listen to what's going on at the field while doing three other things! It's stressful at first, but is fun once you find your groove.

Long cases can be boring- but you must always stay ready and vigilant because when you let your mind wander, that's when they will want something unusual that they haven't used in 6 months for a case like this, and supply has been rearranged since then, and it's time to go searching, quickly!

About listening- I was very surprised to find out how hard it can be to hear, when you can't see someone's mouth moving behind their mask! I had no idea I was doing some lip reading until I couldn't. I don't have hearing loss but it seemed like it at first. Learning the new terminology of the OR helps, and learning what is usual- what will be done or said at certain times during the case- will help to enhance hearing too.

Mr. & Mrs. RN · Apr 16, 2011

Yeah, I would take OR stress over floor-nursing stress ANY day.

ORNurse911 · Apr 24, 2011

The stress level of the OR compared to any floor nursing or ICU isn't comparable IMO. Sure, there is the first 6 month to 1 year learning curve that can be challenging, but after that it's smooth sailing. You only have one patient to take care of at a time, plus there are extra people in the room watching the patient.

I think learning how to scrub first is the best route to go. Once you see how the procedures are actually done at the field, you will better understand how to circulate and anticipate the needs of the case. There are always a few egotistical surgeons you have to deal with, but as long as you have fairly thick skin, you will be fine. Also, don't let the OR "drama" get to you. There are many different personalities all working together in the OR...from anesthesia, scrub techs, other nurses, surgeons, PA's, RNFA's, Residents, product reps...etc. Every OR I have been in has some kind of "drama" going on. Just the nature of the beast I guess.

Another thing to think about is call. I am a call "whore" so to speak...lol. I take as much as I can. The first year I worked in the OR, I made $25,000 more than I did the year before in the ICU. Some people despise call, so just depends on what other commitments you have I guess. Some places require more call than others as well. Definitely ask about call requirements if you decide to go to the OR.

I love the OR, and can't imagine working anywhere else at this point.

LuvTheOR · Apr 24, 2011

I agree, you either love the OR or hate it. A job shadow can give you a small taste of what the OR is like.

I find that most of the people working in the OR have strong personalities. You have to have a strong personality to tell a surgeon that you disagree with them when you are advocating for a patient and have to stick to your guns.

Give it a try, you can always transfer to another unit if you do not like it...

michele742 · May 1, 2011

I have applied to a BSN program and when I am done I will move on (after a year in ICU) to CRNA school, or be an OR/PACU nurse. That's the 'plan' anyway

I worked in the OR/PACU as a Patient Care Technician years ago and I absolutely LOVED it! I think the nurses and doctors treated me like their "pet" because they constantly let me shadow them around. The doctors let me watch electroshock therapy and the anesthesiologist talked me through step-by-step with blood patches (showed me what he was doing and why, including meds, BP cuff on the ankle for electroshock, etc.), the OR/PACU nurses did the same showing me how to read monitors and such. It was really a phenomenal experience!! I cannot sing the praises of OR nurses enough. They work hard, they normally love their job, and they are great at it. The nurses I worked for would crack me up. They truly are like their own little family in the OR/PACU...I loved how they worked together. The doctors get cranky and such, like any doctor does...I believe, most of the time, it is just because they are 'focused' and their adrenaline gets them high-strung from working on (or getting ready to work on) cases sometimes :) I got to see things in the OR that I am not sure many med students get to see until well into their schooling (or nursing students for that matter). If I do not go on to CRNA school, the OR/PACU is exactly where I want to be.

To answer the original question; like any job, I would see the nurses get stressed out occasionally, but it was normally because they had a difficult run-in with a doctor, or there was a huge case-load that day, etc. I will tell you this, from what I observed, OR/PACU nurses are resilient and any little 'glitch' that crops up they bounce back...they are happy and the ones I worked with said they would never go back to the floor. Basically, from what I saw/heard from OR/PACU nurses, it's a great gig. :) I say OR/PACU because many of the nurses in PACU worked OR cases where I was.

jeckrn, BSN, RN · May 3, 2011

As a nurse who has worked in the ED, ICU, Med-Surg, Home Health, & now the OR I feel that I can give a good answer for this. Yes the OR can be stressful but in its own way just as each other area has its own stressors. In the ED you have the constant influx of new patients some serious ill and others who should be going to their doctors office and are demanding. ICU you have the patients who are extremely ill and need total 1-1 care. Med-Surg you have the large number of patients to juggle. Home Health you have issues of going into some areas of town you normally would not. The OR you can be trying to do multilpy task at once to get the case going, turning your room over quickly etc. Overall the stress in the OR is not that bad, it is just like the other area and how you handle it. For the most part once you get OR nursing down it is not bad, but it has a huge learning curve. Knowing your instruments, preps, equiptment, doctor preferences and the different services. Your first 6-12 months will be the most stressful until you start to get comfortable which is just like anyother area.

kat von b · May 6, 2011

YES!!!! Ok I've only been in the OR for about 6 months but after this week I can say yes! What a bunch of rude MD's this week!!!!

LuvScrubs2, BSN, RN · May 9, 2011

Wow Im hoping to get into OR Nursing someday:))) Good Luck :cool:

drums326 · May 11, 2011

It will depend on your individual resiliency. OR is stressful but I like the simple things like knowing I will get a break/lunch no matter how crazy things are. It's a much better lifestyle overall, I would never go back to the floor!

Windyhill, BSN · Nov 25, 2015

I dont like it....surgeons treating you like doormats...it's not for me anymore.Let them wipe their feet on someone else.

SandraFenway · Nov 27, 2015

I think the biggest stress is working intimately with a population known to have a high number of sociopaths: surgeons. That's not a diss. It's a fact, look it up. There's more distance from this element if you're on the floor.

RobtheORNurse · Dec 30, 2015

Is it stressful? Absolutely. But it is one of the most rewarding jobs I ever had. I left the OR nearly 3 years ago after 20 years due to a really good offer from one of our suppliers and I am now an educator for their surgical devices. There is a lot to learn, lots of strong personalities and one must be able to think on their feet and not get upset when someone corrects you. The old saying of there are many ways to skin a cat is true, but in the OR, debating it over an open patient is not appropriate. If you have an interest, contact the OR educator at your facility and talk to them, they can give you insight into the wonderful world of the OR.