new circulator, but want to scrub too

Specialties Operating Room

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Hey Guys, I am graduating nursing school, come completion of my clinical capstone (which is in the operating room as a circulator). I have accepted a job at mayo clinic as a circulator, and was a bit dismayed to learn that (as previously told) that nurses do not first assist and scrub. I learned to scrub at my first job in the operating room as a sort of multipurpose operating room technician, so I am a little sad that I won't get to scrub at all. Overall, I feel pretty confident in my choice I just need some affirmation. Do any circulators not scrub at all, and do you still like it? I have always loved the operating room, and hope to eventually swing back into the ICU world and go back to anesthesia school, but I want to spend some time in the operating room to reward myself for 4 years of slinging bedpans (totally kidding, god bless floor nurses). What is your opinion of nurses not scrubbing?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

A lot of what influences whether OR nurses learn to scrub or not is the staffing matrix at the facility. My facility is closely affiliated with several surgical technologist programs. Our staffing matrix is approximately 35% RN and 65% ST, so almost all scrubbing is done by STs and RNs circulate. The few exceptions are those RNs who were previously STs in the same OR and our heart team members, where some of the RNs are taught the second assistant role. As a member of the heart team, I was taught to second assist but found it both intimidating and physically taxing. I much prefer circulating myself.

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I have to agree it depends on facility and staffing needs. In general, surgical techs are "easier" to find and hire than OR Nurses.

I was taught to scrub in my hospital's new to OR program. Historically, our staffing has been about or greater than 50% RN. I personally love scrubbing. Getting to see and touch things so closely - that's so cool to me. In general, most of the time, neither RNs nor STs function as a first assist in our ORs - we have surgical residents. When the residents are less experienced, they are their attending's assist, but often towards the end of residency their attending is their assist. We have a few providers who use an NP or PA as a first assist, some of the time, but not consistently.

Our staffing has shifted some, with STs easier to hire than RNs, RNs are overall scrubbing a bit less (but not never by any means). I think that RNs scrubbing adds flexibility that you do not have when your RN staff does not scrub or is not expected to scrub. There are more options to move staff around if necessary than there are if half your staff flatly doesn't scrub.

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Thanks you guys - sorry for the delay. I appreciate the feedback. And you never know what facilities will do in 10 years with the everchanging guidelines. I think I do have an idealistic image of scrubbing in my head, and I forget just how stressful scrubbing can be. Haha.

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Specializes in ICU, Trauma, CCT,Emergency, Flight, OR Nursing.

I'm at a large academic hospital in the Bay Area with 60+ OR's and with a majority RN staffing model so we all scrub unless you absolutely don't want to or suck at it. I'm surprised that Mayo clinic does not encourage their RN's to function in the scrub role . Having RN's that scrub adds a lot of flexibility to ones staffing assignment matrix as a manager and increases productive use of personnel.

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I disliked circulating and preferred to scrub. Unfortunately that made me dislike my OR residency that was only preparing us to circulate and ultimately that and discrimination from a few powerful people resulted me being let go from the OR and the entire healthcare system (which they don't typically do for OR residency wash outs). I will never put myself in that situation again, but I hope my luck takes a turn for the better and I can get a staff position in an OR someday and scrub or do both.

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I like the variety of both. Some days I hate charting, so I scrub. Other days, I dislike the surgeon I work with so I circulate.

I think its valuable to do both if you see yourself in a long term OR setting. It looks appealing as a OR travel nurse AND if you switch to other ORs. If you are hoping to return to ICU/CRNA school then you should be fine.

I have heard thats the new trend, newer OR nurses get taught just to circulate.

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I ended up turning down the job at the major private sector hospital, and took a federal job because they mainly staff nurses to scrub. Plus, better benefits and job security and I’ve worked there for 2 years as an RN student intern. I didn’t see myself returning to the OR, but as fate had it I am, and I might as well enjoy it. I think I’d be bored with one specialty, only circulating which is what I would’ve been doing. Terrified of it a little bit, but though some complicated things take me longer to learn, once I get my groove I am great. Overall I’m pumped to be doing this as a new grad - there’s so much tradition in surgery and I love learning from the veteran nurses. The *** they’ve seen is pretty wild hahah

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On 7/1/2020 at 11:36 PM, RickyRescueRN said:

I'm at a large academic hospital in the Bay Area with 60+ OR's and with a majority RN staffing model so we all scrub unless you absolutely don't want to or suck at it. I'm surprised that Mayo clinic does not encourage their RN's to function in the scrub role . Having RN's that scrub adds a lot of flexibility to ones staffing assignment matrix as a manager and increases productive use of personnel.

Yeah, I was surprised too. Great facility and loved the managers, but it wasn’t the right time for me to move, and I didn’t feel 100% great about it. I’ll still be in a teaching hospital, though smaller (25 rooms compared to 100 in 2 facilities), and I’ve been there for 2 years as a student nurse intern so I know the patients and how the place runs and it feels like home. Hope y’all are doing okay out in Cali - know it’s been a rough run of the go for y’all with all the stuff that’s been going on.

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On 7/2/2020 at 12:36 AM, RickyRescueRN said:

I'm at a large academic hospital in the Bay Area with 60+ OR's and with a majority RN staffing model so we all scrub unless you absolutely don't want to or suck at it. I'm surprised that Mayo clinic does not encourage their RN's to function in the scrub role . Having RN's that scrub adds a lot of flexibility to ones staffing assignment matrix as a manager and increases productive use of personnel.

Hey I know this is an old post but I wanted to ask you how difficult it was to get a job as an OR nurse in the Bay Area? I plan on relocating out there after getting some experience. I will be working at a teaching hospital & will circulate/scrub in the meantime. I’m interested to hear your thoughts. I always hear that it’s like trying to catch a unicorn out there. 

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On 3/29/2021 at 11:43 PM, GodspeedRN said:

Hey I know this is an old post but I wanted to ask you how difficult it was to get a job as an OR nurse in the Bay Area? I plan on relocating out there after getting some experience. I will be working at a teaching hospital & will circulate/scrub in the meantime. I’m interested to hear your thoughts. I always hear that it’s like trying to catch a unicorn out there. 

Just remember, it's always easier to get a job with experience. ;-)  If you can be flexible I might see what companies are offering for recruitment and "wait" for a relocation offer to come up. Also sometimes once you have experience it is possible to "travel" somewhere, become a known and possibly be asked to stay.  

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Specializes in RN, CNOR, Neuro crani/spine.

At my hospital, we have more RNs than STs.  We are trained to scrub.

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