Advice on area to start?

Specialties Operating Room

Published

I am currently in the interview process for an OR nurse tech position. The hospital that I have applied with, uses these positions for nursing students. They start in the summer and then allow PRN during the semester. I absolutely want to work in the OR as a nurse when I graduate at the end of this year. This particular hospital complex has it's own heart and vascular hospital, as well as the standard hospital where I'm guessing all non heart related surgeries are done. They offer the OR nurse tech position in both places. My question is, does it matter where I would start, provided I am offered a position? (Knock on wood...) Cardiovascular sounds exciting but maybe I would get a more well rounded experience in the regular hospital? Just wondering what pro's and con's of each would be. They are trying to decide where I would be a good fit, so if presented with the option, I would like to be a little more educated in my decision. Thanks for any advice!

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

What does the OR nurse tech program allow you to do? In my OR, those in these positions are responsible for assisting with patient transfers and positioning, turning over (cleaning) ORs, and gathering equipment/supplies. Actual patient care is limited, so there wouldn't be much difference in what they do in either of those areas.

Now, if your facility offers an expanded role beyond basic duties like that, it may make a difference, but we'd need more info.

Now, if your facility offers an expanded role beyond basic duties like that, it may make a difference, but we'd need more info.

Well from what I have gathered so far, it is a nurse tech/internship position. So it sounds like I would be doing the things like you mentioned most of the time, but would also be shadowing quite a bit as well. I think their intent is to develop future perioperative nurses, especially since we get almost no training in nursing school. So it may not make a whole lot of difference, but was just curious as to the pros/cons of cardiovascular cases vs everything else.

+ Add a Comment