I have finally landed my dream job in the OR (on the heart team) as a circulating nurse and I am so overwhelmed by all the new instruments, sterile fields, computer/paperwork, etc. I just started last week, and now I am questioning to myself if this is even for me anymore. I have been a nurse for about three years now, but this is my first OR job. It is also challenging because I come from doing three 12 hour shifts a week to five 8 hour shifts. I've been told it takes about a year to even begin to feel comfortable with everything.
Did anyone else struggle like this?
Any helpful tips on making it through the first few weeks/months? Thanks!
Thankfully, I think it's starting to get better... I've been there about 2 and a half months now. I hope I continue to feel this way... and hope I'm not speaking too soon.
I have had days where I've reconsidered this whole business, too, but I still really like the job. I wondered if the shine is off the new, so to speak or what, but I think the more you get to know something, the more you realize it isn't just the job, but the people who can "make it or break it" for you. I'm so tired of dealing with people's issues (old culture, job-security fears, I don't need to learn new ways/ always-done-it-this-way attitude) and it gets wearing after a while. I just wish I could fast forward to the actual bit where I know what I'm doing/feel confident, because the other thing that gets wearing on my soul is the constant feeling of being a fish out of water. To hear others say 1-2 years until you're confident makes me tired because I know I still have to juggle those feelings while also dealing with other people's issues at the same time. I can do one or the other, but doing both makes me feel as though the ground is crumbling from under my feet and there's nothing solid to hold on to at the same time. Major treading water.
I take the PerioOp 101 final soon, too and that's feeling a bit overwhelming.
I am new to the OR also my manger told me at least a year to feel comfortable, I am anxious to start over, since I have no experience in this field of nsg, but I trying to remain calm and confident. I am just preparing myself by reading all the comments here. I am hoping I have good preceptor.
Well I finally bit the bullet and went in to talk to my manager about being uncertain of my time in the OR. I am not sure why I don't care for it... after all, I feel like this is what I went to school to do. Hopefully I will gain some clarity soon.
It is worth it to hang in there a little while longer! There will be a time when over night one day it will be like 'Aha!' I guess I can't 100% guarantee you will feel that way, but I would feel up-and-down for awhile, and then one day I felt like, "I am fiiine." :) It is realistic to expect that to take a year.
List all the PROS of working in the OR, and the CONS.... That might help :)
It is worth it to hang in there a little while longer! There will be a time when over night one day it will be like 'Aha!' I guess I can't 100% guarantee you will feel that way, but I would feel up-and-down for awhile, and then one day I felt like, "I am fiiine." :) It is realistic to expect that to take a year.
List all the PROS of working in the OR, and the CONS.... That might help :)
Thanks again for all your responses over the past few weeks. I am disappointed and sad because I wanted this to work out so badly, but it's just not right for me. I struggle to go every day, there were many things that I did not like. I hope that I am able to find another job soon that I will be happier with.
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but seriously -- you faced it and tried and that's worth a lot.
Just yesterday, I took turns crying and laughing my butt off, throughout the day. I wish..no...hate... no... I DESPISE that this is going to take so long to 'get'. For everyone I've asked, to a person they say minimum amount of time to become comfortable in the OR is one year. Ooooooh, that stings. And I can't soften the fact that I am completely over being on an emotional roller coaster all the time. If it isn't my preceptor or instructor, it's the doctors and their private staff. Not to say there aren't a lot of them that are awesome. In the end, I think I'll pick a specialty based on the characters of the doctors in that section.
Before giving up totally on the OR, I suggest you consider a different specialty area. Some specialties are more difficult to love than others for various reasons ; surgeons and staff culture,etc.. For example in our house the cardiac and orthopedic teams have the well earned reputations for having the most challenging and difficult surgeons (which has been mostly responsible for their difficulties in retaining staff on those teams)! Take a closer look at the big picture- is it you; or is it the team you are trying to become a part of? Are there needs on any other teams in your OR? How do you feel about ENT, Plastics, Urology, Eyes, Gynecology? Or General, even Neuro? Good luck!
Thanks for all of your support! After thinking about it, I think I would have liked the OR if things would have been different, but there was no structured training, they stuck me with different preceptors each day where everyone did a different routine, and even taught me some things that were wrong, and there was no Periop 101 that I hear others talk about. Most of them were supportive when I had questions but it was just too much. A very disappointing first OR experience to say the least. I have thankfully found a different job that I will be starting soon. Thank you!
I found myself crying so badly while reading through all these posts. I am a new grad from uni, being hired straight to the theatre as a scrub/scout in a private hospital less than two months
Nurse482488,i totally can understand your feeling. I do not get support from my so called "clinical educator" at all, in fact she only talked to me once up to now. I do not have a preceptor and everyday, I am being allocated with different nurses, different cases and in different theatre. Most of them are actually quite nice to me when I ask them questions. However, most of the time I feel like i was a hinder to them, especially when they are having their chit chat session.
Hopefully just like most of you guys said, I would feel more comfortable after a few months. I love nursing and I will try very hard to hang on there. It is very nice to feel that I am not the only one feeling lost in the theatre. Fingers cross.
When I first started, I was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and cried a lot! You are not alone! The change of shift is hard, and also you are working your brain at 100% all the time - it's exhausting! It took me about 6 months to start to feel comfortable and to know how to do a few things, and then probably a year before I was pretty much fully comfortable. There are so many names of new things, it's like a new language!
Hang in there, it's tough, it's different, it's tiring. Do your best and I am sure you will come to love it!
nurse482488
8 Posts
Thankfully, I think it's starting to get better... I've been there about 2 and a half months now. I hope I continue to feel this way... and hope I'm not speaking too soon.