Just got hired!!

beanal · Apr 3, 2009

Congratulations!

If I had one piece of advice it would be to know your OR hospital policies and procedures very well. Also read AORN (American Operating Room Nursing) Standards. If you are going to be mentored by many different nurses throughout

your nursing orientation you will need this information. Some nurses may give you inaccurate information especially if they have less than one year of nursing. (IMHO these nurses should not be orienting other nurses but it happens.) There are different ways to go about doing various tasks and both may be correct. There are also incorrect ways of implementing tasks as well. If you are not familiar with your hospitals P&P and the standards you will not be able to identify correct and incorrect OR nursing practices.

There are some nurses who do not follow AORN recommended practices. I see nurses who prep incorrectly, count without visualizing the instruments, cruise the internet while circulating...I could go on and on.

Your job in perioperative nursing is to be the patients eye, ears and voice while they are under general anesthesia (or any anesthesia for that matter.) Always treat your patients as if they are a member of your family and you will become an excellent perioperative nurse. After all each one of your patients is someones husband, wife, sister, brother, child or friend.

You have made a wise decision to become an OR nurse. It is a tremendous responsibility and one that shouldn't be taken lightly.

Best of luck with your new perioperative nursing career!

Libitina · Aug 13, 2009

I just qualified as a nurse too and start in theatres on the 7th September. I'm so excited, but REALLY nervous too. :yeah: :eek:

How's yours going?

brooklynOR · Aug 17, 2009

i was just hired as an OR nurse after a floor nurse for 2 years. I thought i was interview for a critical care position but it ended up with an OR position by accident...and they hired me..but i didnt know if i really wanted to do Or id idnt know if i will like it or not..should I try it out? i was on a cardiacthoaraic floor andwe also have astep down unit too...do u think i will fit in to thr OR? anyone?

cornpoohRN · Aug 18, 2009

I start my OR residency Monday. I am so excited. I knew that was the field for me and decided to only apply for OR. I know that was risky being a new RN but that was how passionate I felt about it. We are doing the Versant program. Are you doing any type of residency program?

cc_RN · Aug 20, 2009

i am starting my OR training as a new grad..im kinda nervous because i never thought about working in this area...but im excited !! and am anticipating the day i actually 'start' my training/new grad internship

is there anyone on here who ALREADY started working in the OR as a new grad? if so, can you please share advice/experiences!

Scrubby · Aug 22, 2009

congratulations to you all. The OR can be a really exciting place to work. I can't imagine working anywhere else.

cornpoohRN · Aug 22, 2009

Hi all fellow OR nurses!! I just got hired as an OR nurse!! I am graduating nursing school in May, and have always wanted to work in the OR. I start my OR internship in July. I am super excited. Any advice from the seasoned OR nurses?? Thank you!

Hi! I start my residency Monday and wanted to know how yours was going. Are you doing any specific program? We will be doing a Versant/AORN program that is designed to retain new nurses. It seems very interesting and I am excited. I would love to hear how you are doing.

Thanks~

cc_RN · Aug 22, 2009

i am just in orientation right now...learning the hospital system w the rest of the new hires:typing

they have provided me w 2 books! yes, books...to start my internship..i feel like im in school again lol & i have to purchase 2 MORE..so in total, i will have 4 books for my OR residency:(

they told me i will have several OR 'classes'...

they haven't updated me yet w all the details...but it seems that they are thoroughly preparing me w all this training, bookwork, etc:nurse:

A.Austin, R.N. · Aug 23, 2009

I have been an O.R. nurse for 14 years and there is ALWAYS something new to learn. That is part of the allure and challenge of a stimulating work environment. My peri-operative internship lasted 9 months with a balance of didactic classroom time, "scrub" rotation, and circulating rotation through a wide variety of surgical specialties. It goes without saying, that this was all at a reduced entry level rate of pay in exchange for the specialty training by my employer. Depending on whether you are an optomist or pessimist, there are easy days and there are easier days (or hard days and harder days). Remember, anything that is NEW to you is ALWAYS hard to begin with. That is just part of learning something new. Remember Nursing school ? The O.R. is a unique confluence of technology, technique, proficiency, skill level, broad knowledge bases, personalities, and designated professional roles, with individual and shared responsibilities, functioning as a cohesive interdependent team. It takes EVERYONE time to adjust to this type of situation. Here are somethings to bear in mind : ALWAYS KEEP YOUR PATIENTS PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY FIRST !!! YOU ARE YOUR SURGICAL PATIENTS ADVOCATE !! ALWAYS CONDUCT YOURSELF IN A PROFESSIONAL AND DIGNIFIED MANNER. THAT IS THE REPUTATION WHICH WILL DEFINE YOU TO YOUR CO-WORKERS, COLLEAUGES, AND PATIENTS. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR ETHICS OR MORALS !! IN SO DOING YOU WILL ALWAYS PRACTICE YOUR PROFESSION TO PROTECT YOUR LICENSE (which is ALWAYS more important than protecting your job ! ). You are responsible for your own professional practice and its ramifications. Do not be discouraged and always try your best. A positive attitude is everything. God's blessings on your endeavors !! Remember, we are all human with different strengths and frailties, and no one is better than, or worse than anyone else. We are all just different with commonalities. Please, let us know how things are progressing for you !!