Outpatient surgery to hospital circulator

[Nursegal2020, BSN]

Hi there!

I have been an outpatient operating room circulator for 4 years now, mostly in orthopedics. I enjoy the outpatient life, however, the higher pay and benefits of working at a hospital are very appealing to me. The only thing that I am hesitant about switching from outpatient to the hospital is dealing with sick patients in critical care situations. I worked in the ER during Covid and that basically scarred me forever LOL. I went from the ER to outpatient life after a year of working in the ER in 2020. I feel like I have my circulator skills down, at least in the orthopedic setting. However, because I am outpatient, our patients tend to be healthy, and there are very minimal emergency situations. Anyways, I'm wondering what the environment is like working in the hospital OR as a circulator. The hospital I'm interested in is not a trauma center and does very minimal pediatric procedures. How is the hospital OR stress when it comes to emergencies? Is anesthesia always there to help? I am worried about being alone and ill-equipped in those situations. I do have experience in code situations etc and tend to handle those well, but I get VERY anxious if that is a constant in the environment I am working in. 
signed, 

an anxious nurse. 

[emergenceRN17, ASN, BSN, RN]

Hi there!

I work at a community hospital as a circulator. I love it. Day surgery, endo, and pain clinic.  Anesthesia is always there should a situation arise.  Which part of the country are you looking at?

best

k

[Nursegal2020, BSN]

I work in Central Oregon! God I love anesthesia. Glad to hear you enjoy it! I love circulating at my outpatient ortho center, just the money isn't there..