New Grad hired to OR but I hate it! Help!!

[herna372]

So I did my senior capstone (360 hours) in the operating room. However, I found it wasn't for me. I hated how poorly surgeons treat the staff and I didn't feel like I was using any of my nursing skills. (Also, yes I realize the OR is MUCH different than floor nursing and it has its own skill set). I kinda just felt like a glorified secretary though (answering doctor's pagers, running around to get suture, etc). Not for me. But I have applied to 40+ jobs and I have only received one interview for an ICU position and never heard back. My preceptor from the OR days keeps contacting me because she knows I passed my NCLEX and wants me to work at the OR I did my preceptorship. Long story short they offered me a job. Now, should I take the job, keep applying at other units, and quit when I get another job? Also, once I'm in the hospital's system would it be easy to move from the OR? Any tips would be much appreciated!!

[gelli.25]

After graduating, I had no desire to work on the floor or ICU. Actually, I did not know what I wanted to do as a new graduate. However, after passing NCLEX I took the first job I could get - in a LTACH (long term acute hospital). Definitely different than a LTC. LTACHs have super high acuity: vented patients, septic patients requiring continuous antibiotic therapy, extensive wound management, hemodynamic monitoring and drips -- it was intense. Plus, it was a night shift, 12 hours - brutal! The internship was 3 months I think; I dreaded work every single day. It was stressful. I learned a lot of nursing skills, but it wasn't for me. The 12hours, night shifts, 1 hour commute to and from work and stress at work took a toll on my well-being. I transferred to the OR after 9 months; love it! Do I see myself here forever? No, which is why I am in graduate school now (this upcoming fall). But, my OR is very team-oriented. Nice surgeons. Nice anesthesia. Everyone helps. Circulators are very well-respected. I mean, our jobs are pretty important. We have to set the room up, make sure everything (equipment, implants, blood products) are readily available. We have to ensure: H/Ps, consents, labs are appropriate. We, as the circulators, must ensure everything is in place because we are ones rolling back with the patients, not anesthesia (that varies per facility). Pre-op does labs, but sometimes they may miss something, which does happen. For examples, a 42 yr. old female patient will need a pregnancy before rolling back (policy dependent). Sometimes the surgeon orders Ancef for a patient with a Penicillin allergy, you must clarify with the surgeon and interview the patient about their reaction. Lots of people fail to realize what circulators do, but I believe we are significant. Yes, you may lose your nursing skills: pharmacology (in the OR, the majority of medications you will pull are local anesthetics, hemostatic agents, and antibiotics), IV insertions (done in pre-op), but you will do a good bit of foleys :-) It is definitely a different kind of nursing, very different but it's necessary. One thing that's improved for me as a OR nurse is my communication skills. I was very reserved and low spoken in nursing school and at my first nursing job - but in the OR you must speak up, for you are that patient's advocate! And you communicate with EVERYONE on a daily basis! You communicate with: surgeon, anesthesia, pathology, pharmacy, lab, pre op and PACU, radiology, the tech, reps...EVERYONE! You must build a professional and friendly relationship with everyone. It's all about team effort; there's no MY patient and YOUR patient; it's OUR patient. Everyone on the team plays a part. And I definitely don't feel like a glorified secretary; their phones do not ring that often. That's just like saying all a floor nurse does is pass pills, but that's not true. I like it, but like I said I'm a grad student. I've been a nurse for 4 years and I want to advance my education. Am I going to be sad when I leave the OR, oh yeah! The people are amazing! But, I have to do what's best for myself. And to answer your last question, I transferred very easily! I was in the hospital's network at the LTACH and transferred to the OR. I think per policy, I had to be within the network for 6 months before I could transfer, I was. Then, I interviewed - got the position, gave my 2 weeks - easy as pie for me. Not sure what your policy will be like. Also, you probably want to stay there at least 6months to a 1 year before transferring. Training new employees is expensive for the hospital. But, if you absolutely hate the OR - transfer when possible. However, make sure your orientation is adequate; mine was 6 months in the OR! I ended up specializing in Ortho Spine, which I did not have much exposure to - however, the nurse had left and Spine was available - I love it! However, I am still exposed to other surgeries as well: general, ortho, eyes, plastics, gyn etc. You will learn a lot. And you will make lots of friends. People say in the OR, there is lots of gossip and politics; it's true, but that comes with every job right? It's up to you, if you feel you absolutely do not want to be in the OR - wait it out. You will eventually find a job. For me, I felt hopeless and took the first job I could! I'm happy I did, because now I love this hospital and it's network! If you have any questions, ask away and Good Luck!

[dcwang]

Lucky you, with a job in the OR. My facility where I'm a tech isnt hiring internally unfortunately. I hated med surg and floor nursing in general during my clinical

Whether the docs are mean depends on the work environment. Where I work at, the environment is very encouraging. My heart was in the OR before i started nursing school and it still remains my passion

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

First, I would change your profile picture if that is a picture of you. Your preceptor who offered you the job may see this and may take back the job offer.

Secondly, if you know you hate the OR and don't want to work there, do not accept the job. You will be miserable and the person training you will be miserable. There is someone out there who really wants an OR job so let the, have it. Training takes a lot of time, money, and energy. Nothing is more frustrating that training someone for 6 months and then have them leave.

For what it's worth, not all ORs are like the one you described. I work with a fantastic team and great doctors. Maybe it was just the wrong OR.

[ProperlySeasoned]

Getting involved in a speciality team can help make the OR much more enjoyable. Choose a couple of areas, and try to find out as much as you can about the diseases, surgeries, and complications. Find ways to use your brain rather than time management or your hands. Also, OR environments are ripe for advancement. Charge nurses and supervisors/board runners/managers are all areas you can grow into that give you an expanded skill set.

It is true that you may lose many of your traditional nursing skills, but you will gain many more. OR life also has the advantage of lots of extra money due to call. I did OR for about a decade (though not right out of school), and moved on to a highly specialized RN position I never would have been exposed to if not for my time in the OR. I now make 6 figures working days Monday through Friday.