New Grad to the OR....good decision?

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I just graduated from an ADN program. Over my summer break, I took a perioperative course and did over 150 volunteer hrs (circulating and scrubbing) in the OR at my local hospital. Fortunately, I was hired by this hospital and will be heading to work in the OR after the holidays. I am really excited about it and look forward to being a periop nurse because I love surgery, anatomy, and being in the OR. I have even been doing extra volunteer hrs so I can learn as much as I can before I am officially an RN and have to run a room on my own. But, today I recieved comments from 3 different people about the importance of working on a floor before coming to the OR. One was a surgeon, one was an OR nurse, and the other was a PACU nurse. In fact, the OR nurse, who I was formally introduced to today, asked me "So you're fresh out of school? So, you have'nt worked on a floor and paid your dues yet? It's important you know how your patients heal before you work in surgery." I have to admit that I agree with her, but to a point. The PACU nurse told me it would be hard for me to ever leave the OR if it was my only place of nursing experience. I know the OR is a place where there are a lot of strong personalities, so I try to let the comments roll off my back, but 3 comments in a matter of 6 hrs.....what gives?!!!!

Can anyone tell me if they went to the OR straight out of school and what kind of experience it's been like? Or, do you see it as a disadvantage or advantage to go straight to the OR out of school. And, is it really that difficult to transfer? Not that I have any plans to transfer anytime soon, but I have contemplated mustering up the courage to attempt CRNA school and I know that requires at least one yr critical care (ICU) to apply. Of course, that is something that would be a few years down the road if I even choose to follow that path. I really just want to learn the OR as well as I can and be the best OR nurse I can be. Just looking for some words of advice/encouragement from the OR pros!

Thanks for reading....Colleen

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I went straight into the OR out of nursing school. I don't regret that decision at all. Quite honestly, the skill set in the OR is so specialized that saying you need to do med surg first doesn't make sense. In the past, all new grads were required to go into med surg before they were allowed to specialize, but it seems that most hospitals have gotten away from that scenario. That may be where the OR nurse's comment came from- she/he may have started in the days where new grads in specialties was unheard of. Plus, not everyone is cut out for med surg nursing. I probably would have burned out within the first few months. The hospital I did clinicals at had a 10:1 ratio, and I was miserable (and not even the one ultimately responsible!).

There are also several other good threads in this forum along the same line- just scroll through and read some of the great responses already given.

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Hey Colleen,

I am not an OR Pro but I work with some nurses who have worked in the OR and PACU. They were able to transfer out of the OR onto other specialities when the OR didn't work out for whatever personal reason.

Sounds like you want to do OR.. So why not, especially since you got the hook up!

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I went straight into the OR out of nursing school. I don't regret that decision at all. Quite honestly, the skill set in the OR is so specialized that saying you need to do med surg first doesn't make sense. In the past, all new grads were required to go into med surg before they were allowed to specialize, but it seems that most hospitals have gotten away from that scenario. That may be where the OR nurse's comment came from- she/he may have started in the days where new grads in specialties was unheard of. Plus, not everyone is cut out for med surg nursing. I probably would have burned out within the first few months. The hospital I did clinicals at had a 10:1 ratio, and I was miserable (and not even the one ultimately responsible!).

There are also several other good threads in this forum along the same line- just scroll through and read some of the great responses already given.

10:1 ratio for med-surg? I would be calling "SOS" with that many patients.

Poetyouknowit, do you mind sharing what your "typical" day is like in the OR? What are the skill sets you learn?

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Thanks so much for your response! It's encouraging to hear that going to the OR straight out of school has been a positive experience for you. I did my practicum in MICU and med-surg; loved MICU but not so much med-surg. I admire med-surg nurses, but I don't think I'm cut out for it. I can't even imagine a 10:1 ratio. That should be illegal! I had a hard time w/ the 7:1 ratio. Thanks again :)

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Well, the 10:1 nurses didn't give their own meds- they had an LPN as a med nurse. But still, 10 assessments and IV meds and everything else- crazy!

Typical day for me in the OR- I work second shift (1500-2330) so my typical day is finishing up all of the scheduled cases, doing any add on, traumas, etc., setting up for the next day's cases. Any and all specialties are included except for open heart. Tonight, I did: u-scope, lap chole, burr holes, tibial rodding, appy. No traumas yet (knock on wood). Currently enjoying a rare moment of down time.

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There are no "dues". I started in the OR 6 months after getting my license. I did work on a peds floor until the internship program started ( student loans needed paid). I LOVE the OR but have recently returned to Peds after 10 years because I felt like I needed to mix it up alittle. I am looking to continue to work in the OR PRN to keep up my skills. There were skills that I didn't keep but I definately acquired new ones. How many med-surg nurses can place a foley when the patient is prone for a spine procedure? Just remember that we all took and passed the same test.

I just graduated from an ADN program. Over my summer break, I took a perioperative course and did over 150 volunteer hrs (circulating and scrubbing) in the OR at my local hospital. Fortunately, I was hired by this hospital and will be heading to work in the OR after the holidays. I am really excited about it and look forward to being a periop nurse because I love surgery, anatomy, and being in the OR. I have even been doing extra volunteer hrs so I can learn as much as I can before I am officially an RN and have to run a room on my own. But, today I recieved comments from 3 different people about the importance of working on a floor before coming to the OR. One was a surgeon, one was an OR nurse, and the other was a PACU nurse. In fact, the OR nurse, who I was formally introduced to today, asked me "So you're fresh out of school? So, you have'nt worked on a floor and paid your dues yet? It's important you know how your patients heal before you work in surgery." I have to admit that I agree with her, but to a point. The PACU nurse told me it would be hard for me to ever leave the OR if it was my only place of nursing experience. I know the OR is a place where there are a lot of strong personalities, so I try to let the comments roll off my back, but 3 comments in a matter of 6 hrs.....what gives?!!!!

Can anyone tell me if they went to the OR straight out of school and what kind of experience it's been like? Or, do you see it as a disadvantage or advantage to go straight to the OR out of school. And, is it really that difficult to transfer? Not that I have any plans to transfer anytime soon, but I have contemplated mustering up the courage to attempt CRNA school and I know that requires at least one yr critical care (ICU) to apply. Of course, that is something that would be a few years down the road if I even choose to follow that path. I really just want to learn the OR as well as I can and be the best OR nurse I can be. Just looking for some words of advice/encouragement from the OR pros!

Thanks for reading....Colleen

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Specializes in OR.

I too went from nursing school to the OR however, the hospital I worked at also required a rotation in other areas prior to being soley in the OR. I did ER, PACU, NICU, ICU, Gen floor, and cardiology...I feel those rotations did help me.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

This thread was super interesting to me. I just graduated from a BSN program and will be interviewing for a surgical services residency.... I think it sounds so interesting... there is a lot of me that feels like I might need the variety that the peri-operative departments will offer or I may go crazy on the med-surg floor! :) Thanks Colleen!

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Thank you so much! You are right, we all take the NCLEX board exam to become an RN.

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Good luck Schoolmack! That is fantastic. I think the OR is completely different from the rest of nursing school....well, b/c it is; you learn about all of the instruments and surgery and everything else involved w/ surgery. It's a very interesting place.

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Specializes in M/S Short Stay/TCU.

wow grrt unfo thanks....:D

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