OR clinical nurse

[jenr830]

I am searching for a full time position. I have been a prison nurse for over 2 years and feel I need to get into a more clinical/ healthcare environment. I have just recently received my BSN also.

I'm not finding much available but saw a clinical nurse OR position which caught my eye. Is anyone familiar with the duties of an OR nurse? I only did 1 rotation in nursing school and remember nearly passing out but find he OR interesting. Thinking maybe the more exposure the easier it gets??? (As far as the queeziness).

Any thoughts on this???

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Search in the OR forum. This is a topic that comes up frequently.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Perioperative training programs for newbies typically run from 6 - 12 months. That should be an indication of how much is involved. This is a very complex but interesting specialty area. Based on data from a couple of years ago, it is also the "oldest" specialty area in terms of the average age of OR nurses. Many nursing schools don't provide an OR rotation for their students, so it is not an area that attracts new nurses.

Many hospitals, including those in my own organization, are becoming very concerned because many of our OR nurses are rapidly reaching retirement age - so it's probably a good time to find a way to enter this area of nursing.

[tamitech]

I have been working in the OR for 14 yrs as a Surgical Tech. I am taking my prerequisites for nursing. So okay the OR is a great place to work, flexible hours, possibility for loads of call, which equals loads of $$$$$.There are nurses that circulate and nurses that scrub and circulate. Scrubbing involves setting up the sterile field anticipating the needs of the surgeon, passing the surgeon the instruments, your right there with the surgeon. Circulators help anesthesia roll the patient back, position the pt and basically do all the computer documenting, and get the scrub what they need during the case. Working in the OR is like any job, it has it's ups and downs.