NICU to OR?

RN1.618, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2021

The OR and ER are soooo different. It would really depend on what you would like to do. Im currently an RN in the OR but I did my nursing school practicum in the ED and I also worked for a few years as a tech there too. The ED is fast paced and always different. If you like frequent change and get bored easily than the ED is for you. If you prefer order and more predictability than the OR would be a better choice. Also, in the ED there is a lot of patient communication. You’ll educate and inform frequently. You’ll put in lots of ivs and do codes and trauma on the regular. In the OR there isn’t much patient communication, no IV’s to do and your patients are sleeping the majority of the time. You also only have one patient at a time (which I personally like) in the ED you will have 5-7 depending on the hospital. My schedule is better in the OR and it’s definitely not as stressful. It still has its challenges though. There is a lot of tech and equipment to learn. An endless amount of supplies that you must become familiar with too. I am glad I chose the OR. It suits my personality better. I didn’t enjoy the frequency of the turnover of the patients in the ED. Just when I thought I was caught up I would get another patient. It was never ending. I have a set schedule in the OR and work closely with the CRNA’s and the docs. My schedule is set each day and the call offers the opportunity to make much more money than in other departments. I hope this info helps. Good luck to you.