New Grad-RN Just got hired into OR

[IsseyM]

Hi everyone! I'm new here. I just graduated in May and i found out a few days ago that i passed my NCLEX with 75 questions. I was surprised that i got a position into the OR, thought you needed experience first. I was told by nursing instructors and other nurses to do atleast 1 year of med/surg before specializing but i can not see myself doing med/surg. I've heard and read different opinions on here about jumping right into the OR as a new grad vs getting med/surg experience first. I know its going to be intense but i will do my best because this is what i feel i was meant to do. I feel that i will be able to handle the OR because i like to focus on 1 patient at a time, i like advanced technology, i'm organized/task-oriented and good at troubleshooting. Bottom line...I love surgery and willing to do it myself if i could! Wanted to become a surgeon but don't want to be in school any longer.

My training is for 6 months but I do have a few concerns...like not being able to pick it up fast enough because i'm a new grad. I am a determined and motivated individual and as much as i'm excited...i'm also really nervous and scared. I was wondering how do you all deal with stress, how do you not take it personal when a angry surgeon puts you down? What suggestions would you offer to a new grad who is just starting the OR? Tips on decreasing anxiety or nervousness? Tips on becoming a successful OR nurse? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

[ortess1971]

Depends on the hospital-my hospital trains you in both but we have had travelers who only knew how to circulate. IMHO, I think an RN in the OR should know how to scrub, because it does make you a better circulator and you never know when they need an extra set of sterile hands, especially on call...

[tessa_RN]

My hospital trains nurses how to scrub and circulate unless they have came from another OR then they get through pretty quick...

[bvmusick]

Hey everyone,

I was just wondering if you guys could tell me what exactly an OR nurse does? Do they assist in the surgery? I am also interested in eventually doing OR, but not sure which route to take. I heard that you need your masters to be an OR nurse. Is this true? I'm still in nursing school, but I'm already thinking about what I need to do to get to OR. Thanks!

[ortess1971]

You do not need a Masters to work in the OR-I and many other nurses I work with are ADNs. If you are scrubbing, you hand instruments to the surgeons, set up the table beforehand and will assist in the sense that you can cut suture, retract etc. If you want to first assist(they can close patients, cut tissue, etc) you need to go on to get your RN-FA. For this, you need a bachelors degree(they recently changed this) and extra training and clinical hours which can take up to 2 years. Circulators interview the patient beforehand, check labs, ekg's, the consent etc and are the patient's advocate while they are asleep. They assist with intubation, monitor the field for sterility and make sure that the proper supplies and equipment are available, If you are interested in the OR, I would recommend trying to get an internship in one as a student so when it comes time for you to graduate, you will be a familiar face and they will be willing to hire you. Good Luck!

[KellieNurse06]

Congratulations!!!!:balloons:

[inspir8tion]

I just started working on a med/surg ward (my first RN job since passing the NCLEX in July) and will be there until September. Then I am starting a 9 month OR program. They teach us to scrub and circulate. Prior to getting my RN license I worked in the same OR for 10 months as a student nurse intern. I think I benefited greatly from being around for so long and learning so much. I feel like I have an advantage over those RNs that will be in my program that had no internship. Also, everyone in the OR knows me or has seen my face so I am past the awkward/uncomfortable stage of being the newbie.

[LifeLearner776]

I appreciate everyones input & a big tk you for the info. My hope is to get one of the OR internships upon graduating & I'll be looking for the earliest opportunity to start applying.

[momof2nurse]

What areas are you grad nurses from? Around here (tampa bay, fl) there's no way they would hire a grad nurse for the OR. The OR is my dream, but I've been told to do med-surg first for at least 1-2 years before I even think about OR.

I would move to another state just to start out in the OR!

[Fun2, BSN, RN]

This is a old thread, but I was offered a new grad/intern position in the OR...just have to graduate now!

I am in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area. There are very few OR-Intern positions available, and even less PACU-Intern positions, but they do hire new grads to be trained.

My hospital trains for both circulating, and scrubbing mainly in order to anticipate needs better. I will also rotate in the PACU to get a better feel of what they do and information they need, as well as day surgery and central supply.

[merlotmom56]

Congratulations! I started in the OR right out of school - I worked in an ambulatory surgery center and everything was fast paced - the biggest disappointment with surgery is not getting a lot of time with your patients - the surgeon is you friend and the least one to cause you stress - the CRNA's and Anestheologist's were my stress - they want to be in charge and they spend all the time with the patients and they think the circulating nurses are not important - the hard part for me was how the role of the circulating nurse is to make sure everyone is happy. If you want one on one with the patients, the OR is not for you - I worked 9 months and left and went to home health and I LOVE IT! I became a nurse to take care of my patients and to make a difference and the OR was not where I needed to be - Good Luck - I hope you have a great experience and get great training - Merlotmom56