New Grad starting in peds periop

Ilovethe80s · Jan 1, 2012

Congrats! I went into the OR straight out of nursing school and have worked in the OR for just under a year. I also happened to end up working with a pediatric surgeon Mon, Wed, & Fri. Gosh, I feel like there is so much to tell you but where do I begin.

First, have you spent any time in the OR? I did a periop course between semesters when I was in nursing school and I got to spend about 160 volunteer hours in the OR so that helped me when I started working in the OR. The OR is very different from nursing school. You will learn so much about different surgeries, instruments, equipment, positioning, etc.

As for pediatrics, the best advice I can give you is: keep the kiddos safe (use safety belt when they are on the OR bed), keep them warm, help anesthesia, clean them with warm solutions when the surgery is done, try to learn as much as you can from the surgeons, scrub techs & anesthesia. I work with an amazing pediatric surgeon and scrub tech and we all have a very strong working relationship...this always helps in the OR. Some basic things you probably learned in nursing school that will help: kids love stickers and all of the movie characters out these days and sqautting down to their level when you need to talk to them & check id bracelet makes them feel less threatened.

The great thing about the OR is that you get to focus on one patient at a time. However, working in pediatrics there are many days where I work 8-10 cases in just one day, so things move super quick!

I love working w/ kids and my pediatric crew. Be prepared to have anxious, crying parents....it's only natural...but you can empathize with them. Understandingly, surgery can be a scary time for kids and their families. There can also be some interesting family dynamics. You'll learn a lot as you go. Take notes when you can & soak as much up as you can. I wish you the best of luck!

MORO0617 · Jan 7, 2012

Colleen 1978

How did you complete the periop course? Was it offered by your college, hospital, and what were the requirements? Any information you provide I would greatly appreciate it. The OR is my dream job. I can't see myself doing anything else.

Congratulation!!!!!!!! :yeah:

Ilovethe80s · Jan 8, 2012

MORO0617,

When I was in nursing school, we had break in between semesters during the summer. The summer btwn 3rd & 4th semester, I took a perioperative nursing course offered by my college. The course was run by the director of the surgical tech program, who happens to be an RN (CRNFA). The course had a clinical component that was optional. I was one of the few people to enroll in the clinical component b/c it included 160 volunteer hours in an OR and I figured spending that amount of time in there would help me decide if I really wanted to be in the OR. I got a lot of good exposure during those 160 hrs and was able to network where the director was willing to hire me as soon as I passed boards. So, as soon as I got hired, I had an 8 week orientation to the OR and they let me loose! It's been a really great experience.

I definitely recommend a periop course if your school offers one. My school required that you were either an RN or an active student in the RN program in order to take the periop course. There is so much to learn in the OR. Good luck!

LovedRN, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2012

moro0617,

i don't know where is your location but if you are in los angeles area there are a couple colleges (close to la) that offer periop course. here is the link of one of them. operating room nurse - regonline

i have a flyer too for this course but i don't know how to post it here. it's pdf.

hope this is help.

LovedRN, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2012

Colleen1978,

You are Lucky!!! OR is hard to get in. Where did you go to school may I ask? It's because the periop course that I am going to take doesn't talk about clinical rotation. Just theory.

Thanks