Oncology or Orthopedic OR?

$fracturenurse$ · Oct 25, 2008

I love orthopedics, done it for years and it's still my favorite. A lot of equipment, but it's just fun if you ask me. Haven't had much experience with oncology, but I worked with a scrub who did thoracic oncology for years and she couldn't stop talking about it, loved it dearly. My vote is for ortho, but I'm partial. Good luck in whatever you choose to do!

relentlessrunner · Oct 25, 2008

Thank you so much for sharing! It seems like I've been interested in orthopedics since I was in middle school, and reading the books about orthopedic surgery (like Hot Lights, Cold Steel) just encourages me even more! I'm glad you love your job - it seems like I could never tire of ortho!

Jarnaes · Oct 25, 2008

I'm an OR nurse, and I love ortho. Tons of instrument sets, equipment and tools.

Ortho docs are their own breed, kind of like the bad boys of the OR; back of the bus troublemakers and jocks with the intellect of a mechanical engineer... It's an interesting group to work with. I love it.

relentlessrunner · Oct 26, 2008

How did you get started in ortho OR? Did you do ortho med-surg first or say that you wanted to work with OR? Or can you do ortho OR as a new grad? Any info would be helpful. Thanks!

$fracturenurse$ · Oct 26, 2008

How did you get started in ortho OR? Did you do ortho med-surg first or say that you wanted to work with OR? Or can you do ortho OR as a new grad? Any info would be helpful. Thanks!

Well, I did work on an orthopedic med/surg floor for a year or so before going to the OR. When I did my internship in the OR it was easier for me to work with the ortho docs because they were already familiar with me. When I opened a brand new hospital after that I became the "ortho" nurse and eventually a coordinator. I try to be more flexible now and do more than ortho, but ortho is where I belong and where I know the most. I totally agree with the above post, ortho docs are the best. They "usually" play the rock music and are not as wound so tight. Now, not all of them are that way, but most of them are. I developed really good relationships with these docs over the years...they would come to happy hours, and took time to learn about our lives, our kids, it became a great working environment. Again, that is what I experinced in my years in the OR, your docs may be different.

Again, that scrub that I worked with that loved thoracic oncology...She had pictures of doctors and told me stories about all the crazy things they did in the OR, so they could be just as fun. That was also at a MAJOR cancer hospital.

Go for ortho...you'll love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

relentlessrunner · Oct 26, 2008

Thanks so much for sharing! I'm not done with nursing school yet, but I can't wait! All of the ortho nurses I have met have been really helpful and excited about letting me shadow them. I can't wait to have a job that's fun because it's doing what I love. Thank you!

linda2097 · Oct 26, 2008

Ortho surgery is very similar to wood shop except that the wood is priceless.

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Oct 26, 2008

I'm an OR nurse, and I love ortho. Tons of instrument sets, equipment and tools.
Ortho docs are their own breed, kind of like the bad boys of the OR; back of the bus troublemakers and jocks with the intellect of a mechanical engineer... It's an interesting group to work with. I love it.

Ha ha! You're right..but I love bad boys(we have a couple of female Ortho surgeons that are awesome too.)!

Ortho can be so cool...when you're doing a case late at night, the music's playing, the atmosphere is fun. Of course, if things start going bad, off goes the music and people band together to pull that patient through.

I vote Ortho!!