hondurena

St Agnes is also known as St Agony-- but i will keep this professional. I worked there briefly in the AICU and hated it but on the flip side their benefits are very good, and they do promote education ie CNA-RN and RN-BSN. I got a student loan repayment from them for joining as a new RN grad and when I resigned the nurse recruiter was absolutely gracious in offering me a resonable repayment plan.

Just wanted to say very informative (your posts) Took my physical this past Tuesday this paperwork for commisioning is time consuming but i know it will be well worth it. GO ANC! re-up re-up your'e crazy prior service 91C USAR 1998-2002

MCAT as in med school? you've got to be kidding me ---- I hope she becomes stronger over the next few years to deal with the surgical rotation

If open cases are too much for her perhaps she do lap chole's, lap gastric bypass, lap prostates, and maybe some "lumps & bumps". Don't know if this will be fair in terms of staffing--- what are your numbers like? If you guys have teams maybe this person could do those cases.:imbar If this is a CST I think the OR is the only option unlike RN/LPN

CST's like sunnyjohn and LPN's who scrub in the OR like Marie seem to be conscientious, confident and secure in their role and very knowledgeable. I'd be comfortable knowing that you guys were scrubbed in on a case in which I or family were having surgery. Unfortuantely everyone doesn't share the same work ethic and everyone wont label meds and do what they are supposed to do. That's why when you guys start circulating and can tell those at the field whats right and whats wrong its because you've been there -- done that:coollook:

Sunnyjohn, you could'nt have said it better "vigilance" is truly important-- the OR is definitely team oriented if i am scrubbed i depend on my circulator. I must trust that my team members have surgical conscious and the pts safety as a priority

Surgical technology training is very different from what the standard "tech" nursing assistant undergoes. Surg techs complete anatomy & physiology, microbiology and pharmocology at the college level among other courses and must complete clinicals under supervision. When it comes to handling medications on a surgical field they are not "administering" they are simply passing the syringe or hemostatic agent to the surgeon or someone licensed to "administer" the medication. For example on the unit if you and your CNA are in a pts room preparing for a dressing change --- the CNA can hand you the bacitracin or whatever med you are going to put on the wound, they are not administering it but simply handing it to you. In my experience with surg techs in the OR they do label every med in the field and prior to passing it do inform the surgeon of the medication including strenght. The circulator shows the surg tech the bottle, label, and exp date.

I left out one important thing----- you may find it helpful to refer to your med-surg textbook. It is said that operating room nursing is totally different IMHO certain things are basic to nursing. Never forget that! Your med-surg text will give you a little insight into surgical intervention for medical problems including symptomoloy of pts pre-op and diagnostic test they may have gone thru pre-op or will have intra-op Never forget your med-surg foundations---- ASSESSMENT- what case are you doing? know your pt, know your surgeon, informed consent signed? Psychosocial- pt/family anxious Remember your developemental stages so you can interview your pt Remember your OB/GYN rotation-- check pts last HCG if applicable DIAGNOSIS- what is your pts diagnosis, why is the pt having this done, know that it's the left leg not the left breast PLAN- get room ready, set up, trays, meds, sutures, equipment, do you have blood avail, do you need to call x-ray, are the sales rep here yet? etc. IMPLEMENT- get case started, call time out, advocate and care for your patient throughout the intraoperative course, be vigilant for any breaks in sterile technique -- run around go for this/go for that :chuckle listen to the surgeons whine (not officially in job description) EVALUATE- closing time, counts, case is over, uneventful, take pt to recovery room or SICU (tumor removed, aneurysm clipped, fracture reduced etc) YOU KNOW THIS YOU WILL BE FINE BUILD ON WHAT YOU LEARNED IN NURSING SCHOOL:rolleyes:

RollingThunder, congrats and welcome to the profession of (perioperative) nursing Thank goodness you have an educator, I am currently in OR orientation--- I do not have a "nurse educator" and I am precepted by different people everyday. -- No structure whatsover I managed to do a lot of homework on my own so here's a websites I hope can help you. www.health.uab.edu type in perioperative nursing in the search bar

GLN35 I think its awesome that you get to scrub as a student great experience. Too bad many schools don't bother most nsg instruction seems to be so much based on passing NCLEX and unfortunately perioperative nsg isn't covered in NCLEX. I worked as an LPN for 4 years (scrubbed) 1st job out of LPN school. Loved it !!!! Got my RN tried other areas of nsg and now I'm back in the OR---- Lovin' IT!!!! Good Luck follow your dreams and your calling

Red, that web info was awesome---- i'm in OR orientation and will be learning throughout my career as a nurse thank you

Thank you all for the replies very informative, its interesting to know how things vary form facility to facility. For those of you who do not have commitments or money paybacks i am envious--- study hard and learn all that you can about perioperative nursing, i am sure you guys will do well in your new position. My story is a bit different where we were asked to sign a contract one month after we began the orientation--- a bit underhanded i must say. I've been in the OR 5 months and so far 6 nurses have resigned from the OR including the "nurse educator" no consistent preceptor and the program is a bit shaky. I smelled something funny the day i signed on but i was so desperate for the experience i jumped on board. I know i will not stay at this facility for 2yrs + 9 mos (payback time) so i will have to chuck up the change $7,500:( but i'm sure my freedom will be well worth it meaning i can work per diem and not be on "lock down" from mon-fri 7a-3:30p thanks again

Marie i'm assuming that you scub as an LPN in that respect RNs, LPNs, and ORTs function the same (scrubbing)--- once you get your RN should you remain in the OR you will just be oriented to the role of circulator. I scrubbed for about 4.5yrs as an LPN and now i'm an RN but my facility is "orienting" me to scrub and circulate and require payback if i dont stay for 2 years after orientation. I was just curious about paybacks the hosp where i got my LPN/scrub experience from did not require any commitments. thank you both for your reply

This question is for those starting or orientation ladyt618 and nocrumping but anyone with input please respond. Are you required to pay back any money to the facility should you decide not to complete the orientation or stay for > 3 years?

I was an LPN/Scrub for 5 years, upon getting my RN I decided to do some med/surg and travel nsg for 1.5 yrs. I accepted a position for OR-RN back in Aug of 2005 my orientation is 9 months long scrub/circulate My boss who hired me informed me today that she didn't know i had scrub experiences:uhoh3: even though we had a lenghty discussion about role transition form LPN-RN at my interview. I don't know if this will affect my orientation --- orientation will be over for me in Apr