Need more advice asap!! OR vs aesthetics

laurah4k · Apr 22, 2011

What are your long term goals? Do you dream of OR nursing in a different capacity than what is currently available? Do you want a low stress job or an high stress adreniline rush? Pay check aside, what kind of hours will work for your family? The hospital hours or a regular, set schedule? Which position are you drawn to? What about the commute?

They are really different positions, let us know what you decide!

netglow, ASN, RN · Apr 22, 2011

A circulator position is a "different" sort of job. You are the person who steps back and looks around to see that all is going as it should before, during and after surgery. You are not a scrub, you are not a surgical assistant. You make sure the OR is set up just as that surgeon requires for that specific surgery. You monitor all that is in the room or surgical sterile area, and all that needs to be added to, or taken from. You record the goings on during surgery which includes a lot of data entry into the computer. If the team needs anything you get it done. Each facility varies the role a bit. The role is supposed to be also one for patient advocacy... you are supposed to have your head screwed on straight if the surgeon doesn't and have some power in that respect, but, really you better really know your "you know what" before you squawk. You might not even really touch the patient at all.

Is the job just circulator or is it all OR nursing and then settling into one of those areas?

hopfrogger · Apr 22, 2011

A circulator position is a "different" sort of job. You are the person who steps back and looks around to see that all is going as it should before, during and after surgery. You are not a scrub, you are not a surgical assistant. You make sure the OR is set up just as that surgeon requires for that specific surgery. You monitor all that is in the room or surgical sterile area, and all that needs to be added to, or taken from. You record the goings on during surgery which includes a lot of data entry into the computer. If the team needs anything you get it done. Each facility varies the role a bit. The role is supposed to be also one for patient advocacy... you are supposed to have your head screwed on straight if the surgeon doesn't and have some power in that respect, but, really you better really know your "you know what" before you squawk. You might not even really touch the patient at all.
Is the job just circulator or is it all OR nursing and then settling into one of those areas?

The Internship is Perioperative but just for circulating. Nothing else. You do rotate through all specialties during the internship and can possibly go into a special service later, but as a circulator only. I just don't know if 1) I would enjoy the job once in it, and 2) if I'm cut out for it. What drew me to it was the one patient at a time that the floor doesn't offer.

Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2011

Do a search on aesthetics nursing and see what comes up. I was looking through one board and found this:

https://allnurses.com/entrepreneurs-in-nursing/aesthetics-nursing-81214.html

Didn't even know there was such a thing :) It will give you an idea of where you can and can't go advancement wise working in that area. And of course you could always change later.

I loved my OR rotation in school, but not sure I would have been happy doing it every day.

GHGoonette, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2011

If you have a tendency to high stress levels, I would say that the OR job, while perhaps opening other doors in the perioperative setting further down the line, might not do for you. You have a high level of responsibility and have to be on the watch for medico-legal hazards all the time. If you are concerned about the situation at home, that will serve as a further distraction for you.

Remember, once you have a job, it's easier for you to get another one, especially if you already have that magical one year's experience under your belt.

linearthinker, DNP, RN · Apr 22, 2011

B/w those choices, I'd take the aesthetics position. If you don't like it, you can always go circulate later. IME, that isn't a particularly tough position to get in to. No way I'd ever take a job with call. No way, no how. My job is a past-time (that comes with the bonus of affording me some mad money, lol) not my life, and I'm not about to turn over control of my time to a job. YYMV.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2011

Here is an angle that I just thought of: aesthetic centers are oftentimes "side jobs" for plastic surgeons. If you want to start out at the AC, you could very well meet some outstanding plastic surgeons who can then pave the way for you if you decide to go into OR nursing later.

I don't like the fact that the OR position does not train you to scrub. The most valuable OR nurses are ones that can both circulate and scrub. The position itself puts you at an immediate disadvantage.

Circulating is not boring, per se, but it IS less exciting than scrubbing. You do have to understand every aspect of the surgical process when you circ. Circ nurses are the "quarterbacks" of the OR...you must be vigilant during the entire case, make sure that the surgical team has all needed supplies and instrumentation, ensure that sterility is maintained at all times, constantly monitor EBL, be aware of your pt's allergies and ensure that anesthesia is on the same page regarding allergies. You have to be a pt advocate and be assertive in speaking up when you see something that is questionable.

It takes a great deal of time to feel comfortable in the OR. There are SO many rules, and mistakes are not tolerated. (Not saying that mistakes are tolerated at all in our profession, but if you accidentally contaminate the back table somehow, you then have to own up to it and then break everything down and start again. Surgeons don't look kindly on the delay, but they do appreciate the honesty.) It can be VERY stressful. If you have a pt bleeding out, the surgeons freak out, and then "crisis mode" commences. For example, I was doing an ACL repair via arthroscope, and the pt had horrible adhesions from a prior traumatic injury. When the surgeon was taking down the adhesions, he tore the popliteal artery. Vascular had to come and do a bypass graft, the pt lost quite a bit of blood, and the surgeon had to abort the case. You could say that this case was indeed stressful!

My gut says to go with the AC position. My rationale is based on the assumption that I made in my first paragraph. If a plastic surgeon took a liking to you, and you consistently do a great job, they will more than likely ask you about your goals. If working in the OR is your goal, they can facilitate that for you.

Let us know what you decide! All the best to you!

hopfrogger · Apr 22, 2011

I appreciate all the advice :)

Canesduke: The laser hair removal center does not have any doctors or surgeons working there, only treatment providers (nurses), so meeting plastic surgery contacts would not be happening there. But that is good thought :)

I do suffer from anxiety, but I also feel that I am and can be hyper-vigilant. I like one patient at a time. I did not succeed on the floor and was too overwhelmed because I am just not good with time management of multiple patients. I would get so overwhelmed and flustered because I am so slow at first when I learn something because I want to do it perfectly. It is counterproductive but its hard to change that about myself. I want to take a medicine for my anxiety/OCD behaviors but I am worried that would just fog up my cognition, short-term memory, and vigilance would be out the window!

When I am learning something, I have to do it repetitively a few times, maybe more.. and a little slower than most. But once I have it down, I'm great!

I'm worried the OR will be too fast-paced, I will be too slow.. I dunno. I have just had bad luck with nursing so far and don't want to make another bad decision.

As far as my long term goals... I'm not sure. Just trying to find my niche.. for my unique personality type (Aquarius, INFP, weirdo (Lol)

digoe74 · Apr 23, 2011

Hello --

I just happened to come across your post and first off I will say that I am NOT a nurse yet, nor do I have any idea what an OR position would entail. However, I am a NYS Licensed Esthetician with several years experience doing LHR, Skin Rejuvenation, Cellulite Reduction Therapy, etc., etc., (I ended up as the Clinic Manager of one of these facilities). The facility I worked for was also a large LHR Facility, in business for a decade, with locations all over the U.S., Fortune 500. *If * by chance this is the same company that I worked for -- I highly suggest you do some research about them so that you can make an informed decision. Just a friendly suggestion, and I wish you much luck! :)

hopfrogger · Apr 23, 2011

Hello --
I just happened to come across your post and first off I will say that I am NOT a nurse yet, nor do I have any idea what an OR position would entail. However, I am a NYS Licensed Esthetician with several years experience doing LHR, Skin Rejuvenation, Cellulite Reduction Therapy, etc., etc., (I ended up as the Clinic Manager of one of these facilities). The facility I worked for was also a large LHR Facility, in business for a decade, with locations all over the U.S., Fortune 500. *If * by chance this is the same company that I worked for -- I highly suggest you do some research about them so that you can make an informed decision. Just a friendly suggestion, and I wish you much luck! :)

Thanks for your post. It may not be the same because this place does ONLY LHR. Did your facility that you are speaking of do other things besides LHR?

digoe74 · Apr 23, 2011

Thanks for your post. It may not be the same because this place does ONLY LHR. Did your facility that you are speaking of do other things besides LHR?

My particular facility provided several services but other locations around the country did just LHR. If you would like to speak further on this, you may PM me as it would be inappropriate for me to post too many particulars in a public forum. :)