samswim4

We have just implemented the charge triad team which includes the nurse-in-charge, anesthesia-in-charge, and the surgeon-in-charge. The nurse and anesthesiologist are the primary board runners with back up from the surgeon in the event there is a major issue that may arise. It is a collaborative team effort and no decisions are made without the AIC and NIC both being in agreement. It has been a very welcomed change.

Our OR currently uses the Buffalo Filter. It's only used by two of our surgeons on their cytoreduction cases curently. We are looking to trial the plumepen as well as the plumeport that is used in laparoscopic cases. It's actually a great smoke evacuation product.

Congrats! What a relief!!

Our organization is about an 80/20 split. All of our RN's are trained to scrub all cases except for hearts, as they have there own team.

If you are looking to move up the management ladder, I would highly recommend the ANM position. That position will give you the opportunity to lead staff and also will give you the opportunity to learn what it takes to manage a unit, ie. staffing, budgeting, staff conflicts. Good luck!

Sounds EXACTLY like my day. "I love my job..."

My OR is exactly like Sweet Roses, except for our PCAs and anesthesia techs carry pagers and their pagers numbers are written on the boards of each OR. Works great, except for when my charge phone is ringing non-stop.

I used the CCI flash cards as well as the CCI app for iPhones. The app gives you about 120 questions based on the CNOR exam. It really was a great tool. I studied for a couple of weeks and did fine. Study the AORN standards as well, because those standards aren't necessarily what we practice on a daily basis. Good luck!

Not knowing your salary it would be tough to tell. I would say $30k under your salary. What did you decide?!

I don't understand why there's a question!!! If she wants to advance and needs a masters to do it, then why hasn't she. She's not going to get into management if she doesn't have a masters degree. Seems pretty simple to me...just saying. P.S. That would be a great degree for nursing management. Don't listen to the nay-sayers!

I think that's the question of the century! It shouldn't matter, but if you look at the percentage rate of African-Americans in nursing...and then look at the percentage of AA males in nursing, it's pretty disparaging. Race shouldn't matter, but when you have stats like those...it starts to become a topic of discussion.

It's hard not to notice an unprofessional "professional."

Since when did it become O.K. for a "professional" nurse to curse in the work environment?! Why is this tolerated? There is no excuse for any staff member to curse in front of patients and family members. Clearly it shows that the person is incompetent in choosing their words wisely in a situation, which clearly says that they are not professionals. I have never seen a Doctor, lawyer, banker, etc. drop a F-bomb in front of their clients...just saying. Now behind closed doors...that's a different story. But in order for nursing to be viewed as a well regarded, capable, and competent profession, the attitudes, behaviors, and idiosyncrasies of nurses are going to have to change dramatically.

Oh wow...you have so many different opportunities I don't know where to begin!!! You can come to the OR.

I'm a newly graduated black male RN in South Carolina! In my graduating class, there were 90 of us, and I was the only AA male to graduate. The semester before me there were two. I am now working in the midst of my New Grad Orientation in the Operating Room at a Level One Trauma Center. I also completed alot of my clinicals at the hospital, where they have around 15,000 employees, and I have only come across 2 AA male RN's, in which one is in an administrative role. As far as working in ICU's, I was a tech in the ICU(CTICU/CCU) for a year. There were 2 AA female nurses out of 80 RN's. It always bothered me to see this demographic on a daily basis. I would have loved to work there, but apparently they don't hire new grads, which left a bitter taste in my mouth after working there while in school for a year. Made me feel as though they were telling me I was incapable of being one of their peers...but that's another story! I hope one day not only AA males, but the COUNTLESS number of UAP that are AA(Techs, housekeeping, etc.) can see the vast opportunity that this profession has to offer and take advantage of it. Sometimes it kills me to walk in the hospital and see the number of AA in ancillary roles. Now I understand why some of them call it the "plantation"...unbelievable. I'm trying my best to recruit and retain!

Hey, That sort of thing happened to me. I worked as a PCT in the CCU. I informed my boss when I was taking the NCLEX and approximately when I would be finding out the results. I already had an RN job lined up, so we both decided that I would work through the end of January as a PCT. Well, I took the NCLEX and passed,(thank GOD!). It took my state's licensing board about a week to post my license number. Soon as my license number was posted on the website my boss and HR realized they either had to pay me new grad salary, or give me an early vacation. I'm pretty sure you know what they decided. My boss said he didn't have it in his budget to pay me the new grad salary...so I got 10 days vacation. Fortunately, I have my new job lined up to start Feb 1st. This whole situation stinks, but I wish you the best in finding a new job! At least you have a little patient care experience you can put on your resume. Definitely a step ahead of a lot of new grads. Good luck!

Bahaha! I keep doing the same thing too! I don't think I'll really be relieved until I see my name and license number on the website!

Congrats Nrsman! I just graduated last week and accepted a job in the OR as well, I can't wait! My orientation will be six months, including circulating and scrubbing.

Hey I was wondering the same thing. I am graduating in December with an ADN. I already have a BS in Biology. I am very interested in Hospital Administration(ie. NM, Director, Administrator). I'm applying for a MBA program and a MHA(Masters in Health Admin) for the summer semesters. From the people I have spoke with, many of them said that since I will be a RN with an MBA or MHA I would be an excellent candidate for one of those positions. If you want to do admin, I think you will be perfectly fine with the ADN/MBA combo. Of course you will need a couple of years of clinical experience before you will be able to take one of those management positions.

Well, the reason it goes on all the time is because actions like this are not being taken! It is AGAINST THE LAW to look at patient records of whom you are not taking care of. How would you like it, if you as a nursing student, had to be hospitalized and all of your classmates looked at your records during their clinicals?! Not cool!

Do you guys rotate those schedules, or are they set. I'm starting in the OR after I take my boards in January and was wondering if I get to choose my schedule after I get off of orientation. The OR I will be working in does 10 and 12's.

So how's your orientation in the OR going so far?!

Wow, you guys are lucky! We have to pass ours with 97% or better.

Thanks Karen! It was a pleasure meeting you, your husband, Brian, and the rest of the gang! Hope to see you again soon in Nashville, and maybe in SC at our state convention in October, haha!

Here are a couple of links that address the current situation at MUSC: http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/nov/01/budget_cut_prompts_rumors_furlough60075/ http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/oct/16/musc_braces_budget_storm58092/ Hope this may answer some of your questions. From what I've experienced as a tech, the hiring process was pretty slow. I had to contact the NM personally after a month to get the status on my application. Let me know if I can help you!