RollingThunder

I've worked at FMC for four years. It offers an outstanding work environment with excellent nurses and physicians that treat nurses with respect. Management treats us well and address issues when they arise. I am proud to be an FMC employee. It was a fantastic move for me from the southeast. Payrates are quite competitive and I make $33/hr with 5 years experience. Be forewarned...Flag is an expensive town in which to buy a home. The woes of the U.S. economy have remained somewhat buffered in Northern Arizona. The natural beauty of the area is simply stunning and attracts people from all over the world!

one month? dream on...the california board of nursing doesn't even want to correspond with you about licensure until you have waited at least six weeks. i turned in everything on july 13th (including the set of fingerprints that you failed to mention) and as of today, november 6th, have still not received my license. according to sacramento, the department of justice is currently holding up my licensure process because they have not cleared my fingerprints. so it is literally out of the state's hands when you reach this point in the endorsement process.

I have a couple of questions for some seasoned veterans (or whoever will indulge me). Some background...I am six months into a circulating position with a 16 bed OR. I am actually a very humble person, so this is out of character for me to say, but I have done very well with my learning curve. I was kicked out of orientation early and apparently have impressed the right people. I have been asked to join the Heart Team, but will not be Heart Team exclusive as are all of it's current members. I will train for several months with them and then go on a 2-10, M-F, no weekends, no call rotation. This will entail finishing scheduled hearts and then floating out to all other specialties (mostly Ortho and Neuro, though) and being available for any alpha or bravo traumas that may arrive. Question 1- Is there an elitist spirit associated with the Heart Team at your facility? I say this because there is apparent stigma associated with the heart team at this facility. All of the techs and a few nurses are really giving me hell about making this move. "You're going to be just like them. Why do you want to leave us? I put my heart and soul into training you for Ortho. yada,yada,yada." They will not listen to reason when I tell them that I'll be doing mostly Ortho, anyway because we are Ortho heavy especially with evening add-ons. Question 2- Can anyone possibly see how I could be limiting myself through this decision? I mean, I feel that I would eventually become one of the most well rounded nurses on the unit because of having the ability to circulate any kind of case. Question 3- I posted six months ago about the possibility of traveling in OR's and was advised by senior members of this board to get lots of experience before trying to travel. As much as it pains me...they're right. I'm not even going to consider it for 2 years. BUT, when that time is up and if I feel comfortable, are there good opportunities for OR circulators with Heart experience? There are jobs for Heart team members at UAB advertising $42.00/hr and those aren't travel jobs. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

Are there any of you who travel and only circulate cases in the OR? I'm six months into the job as a new RN and want to travel in the future. How limited will my future opportunities as a traveler be by not being trained to scrub? This is actually a preface to an opportunity that I have accepted and will begin in July with my current organization to join their Heart Team (in which I will be trained to scrub). Which leads me to my second question. Are there any travelers out there that are specifically Heart Team oriented? The position that I will move to is an evening shift 2-10, M-F, with no weekends and no call. I would basically finish any scheduled heart cases and then be available to circulate other scheduled cases (most likely Ortho and Neuro) and any alpha or bravos that we may have come in. I know that this sounds kind of confusing but I think that it is a great opportunity because I would wind up being one of the most versitile RN's on the unit (able to circulate any specialty and with Heart experience). I don't see how this could limit me, but do any of you guys see limitations to what I plan to do? Things are often more transparent looking from the outside in.

Does anyone know about the demand for TRAVELING PSYCH NURSES and what requirements are generally met before pursuing such an endeavor? Is the pay about the same as more traditionally medical-surgical or acute care settings? Any input would be appreciated.

Just out of curiosity are you in Hattiesburg, Jackson, or the Coast? I am a new nurse (OR) and want to get to traveling ASAP (after a year of good experience) and would like to get the type of experience that you are getting now.

You've got a deal. (insert a hand shake) It will be within the next one to two years that I begin to travel (if I can manage the learning curve...I've only been an RN since Jan. 24th of this year). Every RN that I am rotating thru in my training is telling me that I'm going to be great at it (I hope that they're right). I'm a 34 year old male and this is my second career, so I am taking everyday as a serious learning opportunity and trying to grow with each experience. I'm starting to feel a groove in what we're doing, take on a little more responsibility everyday, and ask a TON of questions. I read this board everyday or so but only post once in a while...I'll be in touch thru the board when the time to move grows near. P.S. I've been out to Washington about 1/2 dozen times and most recently this past August...I totally love that area of the country. From Seattle and north (Bellingham or Anacortes, actually anywhere close to Victoria and Vancouver, B.C.) is where I'd like to retire to someday. Arizona is really cool as well especially around the Flagg-Sedona area. I have two friends who went out there as travelers and took up permenant residence. I'm checking out the travel site tonight. THANKS and I'm serious on the deal.

Do you mind me asking what areas of the country that you worked in because in the future, I would like to travel but RN's only circulate at my current hospital as we have an abundance ORTechs. Also, what companies did you travel with?

Thanks for the advice. I hope that I wasn't misunderstood, I am not looking to sign up with a company and hit the road as a green RN and make a fool out of myself. I actually think that I will probably stay right where I am for a very long time, I was just wondering if the prospects existed in this area as they do in many others. I'm actually laughing out loud thinking about you guys reading this and cringing while thinking of some D.A. newbie showing up at your facility ready to scrub in and kill somebody! :roll

Perhaps my original post lacked enough details. IMO this unit and it's management really seem to be on the ball. Yes, I have a formal educational coordinator (who is very nice, BTW) and an extensive orientation (several months). I have not been assigned a formal preceptor as of yet (I'm fairly sure that I will be) but rather will begin by rotating through all of the specialties, just to see what all is done here. I am actually only in the OR for the a.m. of this first week and in the basement educational department in the afternoons completing organizational compliance, the standard computer documentation courses, videos, readings, and multiple choice tests for areas that are common to all new RN's. The reason that I felt lost on day one was because Joint Commission was in the hospital at 7:30 a.m. on my first day and honestly, my educator was just stretched extremely thin and felt comfortable putting me under the care of one of her very experienced OR RNs. Today, I spent the morning with my educational coordinator getting a good overview of the unit (in-house pharm, sterilization devices and procedures, etc.) and watching a few OR exclusive videos in her office. I feel as though I am being treated very nicely and eased in. What I was looking for from you guys was maybe some websites (or recommended reads) that would help me to become familiar with some of the instruments before I actually saw them on the sterile field or being used on the patient. I have a scavenger hunt list a couple of pages long of items that are found all over the OR and I have to find all of their possible locations. I thought that it would help to know what I was looking for. My educational coordinator gave me a Mosby's OR text today that is going to really help, but I was just seeking some additional resources, advice, etc. to facilitate my occupational journey. I know that I have lots (and Lots) to learn but I am very excited about the prospect of doing just that. Thanks in advance for your responses.

Hey everybody, I am a new RN (graduated BSN Dec. 2005 and passed boards Jan. 2006) starting orientation today in the OR of a local medical center. Where can I get a head start on learning some of the terminology, tools, etc. conducive to survival of a green RN in the OR? Also, when I am in the operating room, how and where should I focus my learning? As far as I have been able to tell (I've seen a total knee and a colon resection) the techs do the hands on stuff and the RN gives the team additional supplies that may be needed during the procedure, computer documents, answers the phone (and physician pages) and leads and documents the count after the surgical procedure. Is it normal to feel lost on the first day? Any help will be appreciated.

I started my first day in the OR today and I am a new nurse. They asked me in the interview why I wanted to work there and I mentioned something like I was looking foir a dynamic team atmosphere. The team atmosphere comment clinched the job for me in the interview. Good luck.

I am a new nurse orientating in the OR. I understand that I need a good year or two to be competent enough to travel. Is the demand there for traveling OR nurses?

I am orientating in OR and like it so far. I am a new RN and reside in a compact state. Does anyone know about the need for OR travel nurses? Are they in as much demand as say a ICU or ER RN? I want to travel but don't want to get the wrong experience.

Go to the MSBON website. Click nurse licensure search about midway down the left side of the page. On the next screen click continue. On the third screen, on the right side enter your last four of social and last name. If results have posted for you, it will show your license number and status. Read below for info from your other thread. In my opinon, you shouldn't freak out until Tuesday morning. Below was copied from the other thread: I passed the NCLEX-RN last week in Jackson. Took it on Tuesday, got results on Thursday. I had two friends that took it on Wednesday. Now, I have some bad news for you and some good news. One of the girls called the MSBON on Friday, she got the same answer about the lady being out until Tuesday. Unfortunately, she also found out that that Lady does not post the results online, she only mails out the results. Now the good news, both of the girls that I know that took it on Wednesday got 75 questions and neither has results posted with a license. I firmly beleive that both passed and it's not up yet. Everyone that I know that got 75 questions passed so far. It is VERY unlikely that both failed with 75 questions. MSBON also said that the website was updated everyday or EVERY OTHER DAY. Since my results were posted on Thursday, it's entirely possible that your results will not be up until Monday or possibly Tuesday morning. Best of luck, I hope this helps.