smithd5

I have been working in an Epic OpTime Analyst position for the last 1.5 years. Prior to taking this position, I worked as an Operating Room Nurse Educator, and was an OR nurse for 8 years. I had no Epic or IT experience prior to taking the analyst position. I went to Epic for training as soon as I was hired and spent the first 6 weeks working on my OpTime certification. I also felt like I didn't know what was going on at that point, so that is normal! The Epic training and certification projects definitely help you learn the basics, but there is a lot to learn after that as well. I learn something new every day still, and I love doing this work. Since you have clinical experience, and perioperative experience as a PACU nurse, this will work to your advantage since you will already understand workflows. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!

Study the questions that are in the modules and the quizzes. The final exam questions are VERY SIMILAR to those questions. Good Luck!

Those videos are too funny! I will be sharing them with my co-workers ASAP!

ok...here's the deal...i need to know what other organizations are using for open heart preps? betadine? chloraprep? on chest/legs/and groin. i has been suggested that we use chloraprep for our groin prep...is anyone else doing this? also, what are you using on the closure site? we use a swipe of betadine paint but feel this is not adequate...what does everyone else use? we need to revamp our process...suggestions??? thanks!!! first we alcohol off the entire area to be prepped (chest/legs/groin). then, using sterile gloves, we apply duraprep (iodine povacrylex [0.7% available iodine] and isopropyl alcohol, 74% w/w) to the chest/legs/groin. one surgeon applies chloraprep to the sternum after closure.

The OR I work in is also staffed 24/7 and we have staff on 8's, 10's, and 12's. Management is trying to reduce the number of 8 and 10 hour staff and is actually encouraging more 12 hour shifts (7a-7p, 11a-11p, 7p-7a). At this point we have mostly 10 and 12 hour staff.

We don't use sequential compression stockings on our pedi patients; in our OR patient's age 15 or 16 and older will get them, or younger patients that are the size of a 15 or 16 year old, unless specifically requested by the surgeon.

Well, i'm not a new grad, I just finished my first year of nursing on a Cardiac Surgery Telemetry floor. I've always wanted to work in the OR, but i'm glad that I got that experience first. It helped me to gain a lot of confidence and become more assertive. But now i'm ready for the OR!!

As a new grad I was on orientation about 4-5 months. I was also very nervous about going off orientation since I was so used to having my preceptor there when I needed her. During the last month or so of orientation I took a full assignment of patients and my preceptor also took a close to a full assignment, so when it was time to come off orientation it wasn't that different! I was surprised at how easy the transition was, and all the nurses on the floor were still there to answer my questions and assist me when I needed it. I know you'll still be nervous but don't be afraid to continue to ask questions and for help when you need it! I have found that most nurses are more than happy to help :)

I got my original Hep B series in 1997 and my immunity was never checked until my recent pre-employment physical when they drew blood. When I went back to complete my physical, they told me I was not immune to Hep B so they gave me a booster and will recheck my immunity in a month. I would get it and have your immunity checked at some point!

I usually see gift cards to dunkin donuts/starbucks, sometimes chocolates or small gift basket of bath products along with a card.

I completed an accelerated BSN program (summer 2006-summer 2007) and worked part-time at my previous full-time job while I was in school. I was in school full-time all 4 semesters (which included 4-5 days a week of class/clinical during the Fall/Spring and 5 days a week during the summer semesters). For my job I was scheduled to work 20 hours a week, but since my employer was flexible, I ended up working maybe 15 or 16 hours most weeks and taking vacation time to make up my 20 hours. I consider myself a good student and there was NO WAY that I would have been able to work full-time while in school. The amount of studying, paper writing, working on projects, and homework involved in the program took up almost all my free time. I don't have kids, and I lived at home with my mother while going to school so my expenses weren't that high. I also have a previous Bachelor's degree with student loans to pay, and I was only offered small government Stafford loans for financial aid. Most people in my program had to take out private loans or use family members to help pay for tuition. I can understand the need to work full-time for money, but at least in my experience it's not practical. Good luck!!

Congratulations! I was also recently hired to work as an Operating Room RN and I start my training program October 14th, which I am told is anywhere from 6-9 months, and includes Periop 101. I'm excited to start!

I recently interviewed for an OR internship position, and found out a few weeks ago that i got the job! I have been working on a tele floor for a year but was also ready for a change. I interviewed with the nurse manager and then the nurse educator individually, followed by 4 hours of shadowing the circulator. I was asked why I wanted to work in the OR, what kinds of experience I had with the OR (which was nothing but shadowing in nursing school), how I would handle a situation with a verbally abusive surgeon, if I would miss the patient intereaction that floor nurses have, my strengths/weaknesses, etc. The rest of the interview was them describing the position, the level of commitment that the program would require, including a lot of studying, and answering questions that I had. Also, during my HR interview they asked if I was interested in any area other than the OR in case that job wasn't available - I said "no" and was told that it was the right answer, because they will not hire someone that isn't 100% dedicated to working in the OR. I don't start the new job until mid-October but i'm very excited. Hope this helps and good luck!

I work on a surgical telemetry floor. The floor is designed to be a step-down unit for open heart surgery patients. We have 36 beds, all monitored, but we also get any surgical patient (ortho, GI, bariatrics, thoracic, vascular, neuro) that needs cardiac monitoring. The medical telemetry floor mostly has patients who are pre/post cardiac cath, EP study, pacemaker/AICD insertion, chest pain/MI, syncope, electrolyte inbalances, arrhythmias, GI bleeds and pretty much any other patient that has not had surgery that needs cardiac monitoring. The surgical telemtery floor gets A LOT of overflow from the medical floor, so we have a good combination of medical and surgical patients on telemetry. Hope this helps!