Attn: Nurses hired into the OR within the last 6 months to a year!

Specialties Operating Room

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I recently accepted an OR position and will start this month. I'm beyond excited! I'm still trying to find my niche in nursing and I have a good feeling about this. My question is for those who have started within the last 6 months to a year, how are you liking it so far? How is orientation going? I know there is a huge learning curve and I'm prepared to take it one day at a time. Any tips you could suggested from your experience so far? I come with ICU experience.

For anybody who has more than a year of experience in OR, feel free to input as well! I'm curious to see the perspective of those still in or just finishing up the 6-9 month orientation.

For me, the hardest thing was learning & remembering surgeon preferences. You can have 3 surgeons doing the exact same case but each will position different, prep differently, and want different equipment. I definitely recommend keeping a notebook with this info to refer back to. The other difficultly I ran into was learning some of the equipment.

While you won't routinely use the same nursing skills you use on the floor, you, it's not a "thinkless" job. Coming from critical care, your experience will be helpful, especially if you're working at a trauma center.

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Anyone here selected to be in the O.R. Training program at Keck Hospital of USC in california?

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Rose_Queen, I'm curious as to what type of job/position are you doing now? What did you transition to from the OR? Thanks

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Rose_Queen, I'm curious as to what type of job/position are you doing now? What did you transition to from the OR? Thanks

I'm still in the OR. By changing specialties, I mean moving from general/vascular into neuro then into ortho and finally into cardiothoracic.

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Ok, thought you meant you had left the OR for something else. Thanks

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congradulations!! I to start July 6th at my hospital. I am so excited but scared at the same time. Good Luck to you.

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sarahf81, you will enjoy the OR! It's a different bird altogether but very interesting and you will learn so much. I always felt it was like a

window into what is going on medicine... the doc's love to share their world..

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Float Pool, MICU, CTICU.

How's it going guys?!?! Finished my first week. Lots of stuff, but it'll be okay. I also like to do things on my own time, so I'm using this weekend to read over a few chapters and really get these instruments down.

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Hey!!! I am scheduled to start orientation for OR July 7th. I graduated this December 13' but i did a 10 week externship in the hospital i have been hired for in the PACU/OR. I am very excited but very nervous as well. During my externship i was able to see many surgeries, and learn some new equipment. I know that there is much more material to learn, but i am eager and ready. Eventually i will try to find a job in NICU since that is my passion, but i will definitely take advantage of the OR position and learn as much as i can! Keep in touch everyone!

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I am two weeks in now. There's SO MANY instruments. We just got our study materials so that's good. Saw many cool surgeries the last couple weeks....some still make me a little sick!

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Specializes in MedSurg, OR, Cardiac step down.

I'm almost two months in. Love it so far, hard part for me are having different preceptors, mostly though I've been with the same person, luckily. Some scrubs can neurotic with their set up so you HAVE to be flexible. Take in what they do and why they do it because there is a reason for it and keep moving forward. Don't get stuck on trying to do it your way, just agree and get through it and be open to learning different ways of setting up your table. When it's your table you can do what you want..

I still keep my bedside skills afloat by picking up extra shifts :)

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Hello everyone! I am a new grad and I will be having an interview for the OR internship..what type of questions should I focus on?what do you suggest to review?...I'm excited and nervous ..I really appreciate any input..thank you for your help:)..God bless!!

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