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!
Specializes in OR, both circulating and scrub/assisting.
I also went straight from the frying pan into the fire so to speak. I absolutely love surgical nursing and I believe that you still learn assessment and critical thinking skills, plus there is a camaraderie in the OR that you won't find in any other area of nursing. I started out circulating and scrub/assisting at a Level 1 trauma center where I specialized primarily in Orthopaedic Trauma and Liver Transplants. After about 2 and a half years I chose to broaden my horizons by moving to a different hospital and joining the heart team. I decided to quickly work my way up that service until I became the Team Leader, a position that I held for the last year or so. It was through this experience that I became good friends with a CTV surgeon, and ended with me relocating my family after being personally asked by him to help start a heart program in the only medical region in Georgia without one. Now I work 1 on 1 with him serving as both the office nurse and surgical assistant, as well as rounding on patients. You see, by working in the OR, you get to have experiences and develop skills sets that you would otherwise been deprived of. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me as I love to teach and talk about surgical nursing!
I knew in school I wanted to be in the o.r. My mission was to bypass the floor all together. It was very difficult, but I found a place to take me right after school and five years later, never not once have regretted by decision. I was a nurse tech for 1.5 years in school and worked on 27 different units and I can honestly say that doesn't make a bit of difference in what I do today. The ONLY drawback is if you are kind of "wishy washy" about being straight surgical. If you want to maybe dabble in and out of the o.r. thoughout your working years, then maybe some floor experience would be good
ctvsurgrn
3 Posts
I also went straight from the frying pan into the fire so to speak. I absolutely love surgical nursing and I believe that you still learn assessment and critical thinking skills, plus there is a camaraderie in the OR that you won't find in any other area of nursing. I started out circulating and scrub/assisting at a Level 1 trauma center where I specialized primarily in Orthopaedic Trauma and Liver Transplants. After about 2 and a half years I chose to broaden my horizons by moving to a different hospital and joining the heart team. I decided to quickly work my way up that service until I became the Team Leader, a position that I held for the last year or so. It was through this experience that I became good friends with a CTV surgeon, and ended with me relocating my family after being personally asked by him to help start a heart program in the only medical region in Georgia without one. Now I work 1 on 1 with him serving as both the office nurse and surgical assistant, as well as rounding on patients. You see, by working in the OR, you get to have experiences and develop skills sets that you would otherwise been deprived of. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me as I love to teach and talk about surgical nursing!