New Grad: Did I Make the Right Decision?

[ktweis, ASN]

Hi!!

I am a new grad nurse who just got a job in the operating room at a trauma 1 hospital! I have scrub tech experience that's 20 years old.. my orientation is supposed to be 6 months— and that includes only 2 weeks of scrubbing.. I started with scrubbing and I did really well with it!! It's like I had never stopped scrubbing.. I watched the nurse while I was scrubbing so I could get an idea of everything they do..  

I am currently in my 6th week of orientation to circulating and I'm wondering if I'm cut out for it...?? Last week I had a great week!! I felt like things were clicking and I was finally getting down my work flow.. but this week is a different story... I keep making little mistakes that I beat myself up about.. I'm also still trying to learn where all the equipment and supplies are kept and get frustrated when I can't find something!! 

preference cards are a disaster where I work.. I'm told to not go by them bc they are wrong a lot.. how is a new grad nurse supposed to learn if they aren't correct??! 
 

I really thought my scrub tech experience would help me be a better circulator.. but I'm having trouble and wondering if I made the right decision ?

[RickyRescueRN, BSN, RN]

Cut yourself some slack. Having been a scrub tech is a huge advantage to you as an OR RN, particularly when it comes to the scrubbing side of OR nursing. Give yourself at least 6months to a year to become confident and comfortable in the circulator role. It's a huge jump from being a nursing student and lots to learn. Be easy on yourself and ask questions from your co-workers. Develop simple routines for each case that work for you and help you remember what is needed. If preference cards are in a shambles where you work, keep your own notebook and documents all the particulars of a certain case with a specific surgeon. Perhaps down the line, you could make updating preference cards your Project and improve the efficiency by doing so for everyone.