Help! I may get fired!

[Siouxz2]

I am a new OR nurse (July 2006). Graduated from nursing school 6/06, and am 45 years old.

I had a meeting yesterday with our teacher practictioner about their "concerns" with my work and learning curve.

Apparently, I'm not "putting together" everything I know and running a room smoothly, in a timely matter. They say I'm relying too much on the surg techs, and that someone else has to do the tasks that I don't do. Let me state for the record that I am not lazy in the least, nor am I stupid! Unfortunately, though, all of their observations are right on the money.

I get myself so worked up about getting everything right that I freeze and forget everything I know when the time comes. Also, one little mistake will send me into a tailspin so that I can't do anything right afterwards, and the entire case just goes into the toilet. I can't seem to "think out of the box" when something goes wierd in a case.

They also said that I was inattentive to the field, which is patently untrue. I have a pretty severe hearing loss and am trying to get my hearing aids adjusted so that they work well in the OR. I have repeatedly told the people I work with to call me by name first so I know they're talking to me and then speak to me loudly. But it seems this is ticking a lot of people off, because they see my poor performance and probably think that my "hearing loss" is just an excuse (it is not).

Yesterday, they asked me if I was happy there. Every day, even on the bad days, I think to myself how fortunate I am to have such an amazing job. I don't want to have to leave, but I need to be realistic too.

Is this something I can work through, or is my personality such that I will never be a good OR nurse? I was also raised during the time when doctors were God, and you would never question or disagree with them. I know everybody says to "just suck it up," "never let them see you cry," "get a thicker skin," etc.

Unfortunatly, that is easier said than done. It is not how I am hard-wired. BTW, my patients love me. They find me very caring and comforting. It's the rest of the job I can't seem to get a grip on.

Sorry this is so long. I just don't know what to do. Thanks

[TracyB,RN, RN]

My hubby says my hearing is better than a dog & sometimes I have trouble understanding what is mumbled underneath those masks.

Also not trying to discourage you from OR, but maybe a slower paced facility would work better for you. After 1 yr, the basics shouldn't be an issue, so that concerns me (for your sake). I bet working in Ambulatory surgery (prep room prior to pt coming to OR would be awesome for you).

Good Luck

[ORSmurf]

My hubby says my hearing is better than a dog & sometimes I have trouble understanding what is mumbled underneath those masks.

Also not trying to discourage you from OR, but maybe a slower paced facility would work better for you. After 1 yr, the basics shouldn't be an issue, so that concerns me (for your sake). I bet working in Ambulatory surgery (prep room prior to pt coming to OR would be awesome for you).

Good Luck

I went from the hospital OR to a surgery center and I must say that if anything, it's much faster paced. There are days when I have 10 or more cases (usually very quick cases) in my room, turnovers are expected to be VERY fast and there is not much help. In the hospital, we always had one or two people scheduled between rooms, but in the surgery center, the staffing is minimal. Also, it's not unusual to have several different surgeons follow each other. I love the hours at the surgery center, but I do miss all the support I had at the hospital.

[nurseinlimbo]

I was in the same situation a year ago. I really enjoyed the work, but couldn't stand the environment, people were catty, talked down to newbies (even though we were already RNs and not really new). The surgeons were not as bad as the nurses who had been there for a long time.

The OR here was very shortstaffed, no one could get days off when they wanted, vacations denied, lots of sick time etc. yet a year later, after all their recruits went through, they are now operating on a full slate of staff and STILL denied 6 staff vacation this summer. I have a friend whose there now and is leaving to return to a LTC job, better hours, friendlier co workers, manager who understands life and family matter.

I think sometimes the established groups identify something that they don't like about a new hire and then amplify it, reporting everything you say and do as though it's daily. They can quickly poison the well for you and make it very hard to "tough it out". I didn't find it worth it. I've never regretted leaving. I make more $$ due to charge, shift and weekend diffs, and I work alone, with only NAs to worry about. I enjoy my time at work, don't get yelled at and don't feel sick everyday wondering what I might have to do today, or what might go wrong.

Find something that you enjoy and are good at.

[passionate]

I cringe when I think of my time on a med/surg floor during school. I had always worked in the OR as a tech and just could not grasp (well I did but, sigh....) that doctor's orders were something to be acknowledged and signed off on. I kept thinking "when will these nurses learn to think critically?" OR nurses just seemed to flow with the needs of the case. An efficient circulator and circulator/scrub team that is in tune is a beautiful thing to experience.

I agree that a year is a long time to still be having these concerns of yours. You admit that you have these issues, so don't beat yourself up--get on with the business of caring for patients and find an arena that suits you. No one can really define you but you. Dig deep, you know what you need to do--don't let others ever decide that for you.If you want to continue and risk termination you may be devistated and never be able to pick yourself up and go on with the business of patient care if terminated. I don't hear that you are a bad nurse, but rather than you have limitations, like all of us do that make some arenas less doable.

[passionate]

I am in this situation right now. I am a perioperative nurse "precepting" L&D/PP nurses in circulating of c-sections. I stick out like a zebra in a stable of horses!

[passionate]

ambulatory surgery IS face-paced for sure; being a professional eavesdropper is so very important!

[passionate]

I have to share a discussion I had today with a clinical coordinator of an OR who in the past was an interim coordinator of an OB dept. When she stepped into the OB arena she was bombarded by nurses and doctors that nurse "doe" was not appropriate, too pushy and direct--not a good fit at all. After 8 months as the coordinator of OB she relinquished that to return FT to be the OR mgr. I asked what happened to the "problematic" RN in OB. She said she had recruited her for the OR. So, not everyone is suited to a certain arena although they are suited to nursing.