I wanted to ask how all of you OR nurses are with students. Out of curiousity, I am wondering if my experience is standard or isolated...
My clinical rotations were in the OR this week (3rd year BSN program), and what I had hoped would be educational turned out to be just short of a major drag. The scrub/circ nurses acknowledged that I was there...then that was it. I did ask some questions but didn't feel they were very welcome. I understand they have a job to do, and student's questions are probably last on the list, but if they have time to sit down for a few and read a magazine, you'd think they might have done a little teaching....or even make eye contact.
What really burned me, is after two days of this, the same group of nurses go into the break room complaining about how desperate they are for OR nurses. I guess what I don't understand, is if they felt so strongly about needing more OR nurses you'd think they would *try* to make it a positive experience for a student nurse anticipating the field.
So is this pretty standard? How do you personally treat students in the OR?
Today I had a great time with the anesthesiologist and the surgeon who was doing an aortic valve replacement...I learned far more from them and felt more welcome and encouraged by them than any of the nursing staff.
I will be interested in reading any feedback on this, because I want to know if this is the norm.
Specializes in Medical/Surgical, Intermediate and Home Care.
Break or no break it is just plain wrong to ignore students the way some OR nurses do. They belly-ache all the time, "we're over-worked, understaff" but will continue to ignore them in the name of patient care. Poppy-cock! There is always time to give to students who show the interest and try to explain what is going on. Just sitting there and reading a magazine, which is a no-no in the first place, is just plain rude and on the edge of being elitist. We are no better than anyone else and have to remember that if we impress just one student out of dozens, or 43, that rotate through our department we have done good. RNin2007 can come around anytime to me and will feel welcomed and not fill like a second class citizen. I guess my time management skills are pretty good since I can not only take care of my patient but also the needy surgeon and sometimes the clueless anesthesia. Come on people stop being so self-centered and help these students in their hour of need, all they want is a little help and we as oldies but goodies don't need to snack on the helpless.
Thank you! Must be a blast working with you!:biggringi :balloons:
I am a student and I will gradudate in May. My OR experience was wonderful. So much that after my shift, the OR Nurse called the school and praised my efforts for the day. I would not let the experience that you had discourage you from being an OR Nurse if you should decide to pursue the specialty.
Hate to break it to you but there is some debate whether or not anesthesia awareness really exists...Some anesthesiologists think there is something to it- others just think it's yet another way for litigious people to make more cash. We don't make fun of patients just to clarify. Most of it is dirty jokes and teasing among staff and it's not done when things are going badly.
Hate to break it to you but it does exist! I did a paper and gave an inservice on the subject and read many papers written on the subject and found that many experts in the field believe it is very real. The majority of these papers were written by anesthesia providers and not lawyers. Do a Google search on the subject and you will find many, many articles on the subject. So always assume your patient could possibly hear all that goes on in the room and never assume they are totally out of it.
Not to mention, what about the patients that unpredictably wake up mid-surgery? It might not happen often, but if they wake up into a convo like that...eeks...
LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP
659 Posts
Exactly what I was thinking Marie.....better to be cautious than sorry.