Looking for surgical instrument information

spineCNOR · May 17, 2003

I don't know of such a web site, though there may be one. There are books on surgical instrumentation--the educator in your OR or one of the managers should have one they could lend you.

One thing done in my OR that is useful to new employees is to have new staff spend a day or so in the instrument room. For people new to the OR sometimes this is expanded to a week. If this is not done where you work you could request this.

Quite honestly, the best way to learn names and uses of instruments is to work with them. Learning the OR does take a while--you need to be patient with yourself.

Good luck!

rnmomof1 · May 17, 2003

Thanks for your reply. I was able to see the instrument room but most just to see how the instruments were cleaned and sterilized. I have been circulating and I am supposed to scrub for the first time this week and I guess I am just worried and intimidated. But you are right I do need to show more patience. Thanks

jules6669 · May 17, 2003

I worked as an OR scrub tech for many yrs prior to becoming a nurse. You should be able to look at/borrow books with pictures of instruments/what type of surgery are they used for etc....either from dept head or from the instrument room. Also, they should have a count sheet for each set of instruments that may help some. It's all memory,lol. Don't get overwhelmed as it is not as bad as it seems. I know at first, it's like, "how the heck will I learn all of these".....but you'll do it. LIke with forceps, as long as you know the difference between toothed vs smooth, the difference between snaps vs allises etc.......

Once you start scrubbing on diff. surgeries, you will be able to anticipate what they will need, lol, many times you will give the surgeon what he/she wants before they even know. Wow, I didn't realize how much I missed the O.R. Many say, that once you worked in O.R. you'll always come back to it. That may be true. Where I live they don't hire lpn's in O.R. and I am about a yr away from getting my RN.

Anyways, back to subject....memorize, memorize, memorize........lol

JULES

rnmomof1 · May 17, 2003

Thanks Jules,

I appreciate your advice and help. I guess just not stressing out is the first step. lol Good luck with finishing your last year of RN training. Nursing school is enough pressure in itself. lol Hopefully you will find yourself back in the OR and already way ahead.