2 Months In- I am surviving :)

[cyncopia]

I just had to post and tell everyone how much I am liking the OR. I still have 4 months left on Orientation, but I cannot believe what I know now that I did not know when I started such us spending 2 hrs picking one pref card or setting up a room and now being completely aware of my sterile field. Things are starting to make sense. I get that my nursing process and duty is the same for every case, but yet what happens in different each one. People are nicer than I expected. I had some problems with a CRNA but she had apologized. I always thank the Techs if they tell me to start over saying I contaminated, even when I am super annoyed because they are hovering Some days I have come home crying and some days I have cried under my mask, but I had such a good week and I am realizing how can I be so hard on myself? The OR I never learned about in school, except one lousy day and some assigned chapters, I Had NO IDEA what to expect, but I have to say thus far I am happy with my choice. I cannot wait to see how far I have come in the next few months. I am just proud of myself for understanding how to work a bovie, the towers, or a D&C machine. Thanks to this forum for being so supportive and just giving wonderful advice as I go foward with my OR orientation.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

That's great! Keep up the good work.:)

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

Wow! You are already so far ahead of the learning curve if you are putting things together in your mind after only 2 months in the OR. GREAT!!! It takes a LOOONNGG time to become proficient in surgery because there is simply so much to learn. Just learning all of the "rules" of the OR is overwhelming in itself; e.g., understanding how to use the autoclave, understanding laminar air flow, how to use the nitrogen hose, Anspach, TPS and Stryker Drill Systems, knowing what is considered contaminated, implementing sterile technique with EVERYTHING....the list is seemingly endless. It will still take a while for you to really "get it", but the fact that you are putting all of the rules into practice and understanding WHY you are doing it means that you will be very successful in the OR setting.

GREAT job! Keep up the learning!

[LAM2010, BSN]

Glad to hear it! I am 8 months in - they consider me still to be on "orientation" but I work cases alone and have a few that they don't let me circulate yet (totals). It is pretty amazing how it all comes together. We do have SO much we have to remember! - One of our most experienced RNs told me one day "I applaud you new nurses - you have so much more to remember than we did when we were new; I don't know how ya'll do it." And now that I am pretty comfortable with the job "generally", I am able to be more comfortable with my coworkers and I am starting to feel like a part of the "family". I am so glad I chose, and got into, the O.R. :)

[ebear, BSN, RN]

cyncopia, I'm SO proud of you!! You're way ahead of most at this point and I'm sure you are a pleasure to work with. :hug: