plastics

I recently worked with plastic surgeons in beverly hills. the pros: easy,fun,low stress. cons: plastic surgery is unpredictable somedays there are cases and some days there are none. this could go on for a week. it is nice to pick up extra shifts there but as far as a career with benefits they do not exist. most plastics centers here only use nurses as per diem. you get no benefits and like i said somedays there are no cases. no cases no money. if you find the right office and the right doctor they may take you on salary basis,but keep in mind you are working with only a few individuals in a very small environment there can be major personality clashes. so bottom line if you want per diem work thats not too stressful its great, but it has no future not long term. just my opinion based here in beverly hills. i have not worked in any other city.

i used to view plastic surgery as gross.

then, when i worked in pacu as an extern, a great deal of my patients were plastics patients. i learned that people who choose plastic surgery are not all stuck up, spoiled, conceited people.

of course, there are the people who are nearly addicted (like the lady who flew on a red eye from ca to come to my hospital in de for exchange of butt implants) and some of the surgeons (okay, one in particular), creeped me out a bit, since they think of themselves as "artists" (and can be poor with medical management if it's necessary). i've also never grown accustomed to the look of an immediate post op facelift.

most of the time plastic surgery patients are healthy, clean people who recover well and are easy to educate. however, complications do happen and they can be ugly. (the first post-op hemorrhage i ever witnessed was a gentleman with gynecomastica correction). and you have to remember, surgery is still surgery and anesthesia is still anesthesia. the risks are all still there.

jess

Have worked in OR and had plastics but did not work specifically for the surgeon. Plastics cases can be very long. It is tedious if you are circulating and tiring if you are scrubbbing. Plastic surgeons tend to be more anal and sometimes ugly to staff than other docs due to the stress of having to get it just right or get sued.