luckyduck7

Thanks for asking, Tracy. It went better than I thought. There were a few telephone issues that I wasn't sure how to deal with, but my scrub nurse was very helpful. I guess a lot of it is "learn as you go", but I'm still scared!!! I wonder when that goes away? I hope that in a few months, it all just kinda falls into place. Thanks again for all of the support you all have offered. I'll keep ya posted if anything adventurous happens!

Thank you both for taking the time to reply. It's good to hear from nurses that have been there. My hospital is not a trauma one, it's a small community hospital. We probably don't get the emergency cases you get, but we can still get fractures, emergency bowel cases, and the occasional AAA (god forbid). Maybe that's why it's just one team on evenings. I had 3 mos. training on days. I am just starting to feel confident in some rooms when they switched me to evenings and I will have a total of 5 days training on that shift. Personally, I wish I could have more, but my boss doesn't agree. It's sink or swim, and I will find out which it will be come Tuesday!!!! Thanks once again for answering my questions! It's people like you that make this site so wonderful.

I will be on my own Tuesday as a circulator. I am scared beyond belief. The reason I'm so scared is because I will be the only circulator on second shift, essentially, I'll be the charge nurse. I trained on days, but 3-11 is so different! I know I'll have my Crna and my scrub and S.A. to help me, but they're going to be scrubbed into the cases and there are some things that only other circulators can truly help with and I'm worried that my patient's care will suffer because I don't know enough yet. Do any of you seasoned (or not so seasoned ) circulators out there recall what it was like when you first went out on your own? Any stories, good or bad, are welcome to help me on my way. Also, are there any of you out there who think it's a bad idea to put a newbie on a shift without any circulators to back them up? Just curious. Thank you all for any replies you might send. I value any opinions as long as they can help me be a better circulator.

Actually, Mike, that did help. Your hospital sounds so much more organized than mine when it comes to orienting. I think even I could do a better job of planning my orientation than anyone else is doing!!! I think it's a great idea that you only have one mentor with the orientee. Sigh. Too bad. I get a few really good people orienting me, and then there's two who should absolutely not be teaching. They barely even look at me let alone tell me anything. I finally let my manager know that it was pretty much impossible to learn when with those two, and to my suprise she agreed. This doesn't mean I can't work with people-I'm usually a great team member... I just need to be given some solid education right now. I can't even believe how those guys treat me! Anyway, to anyone that has replied to my questions, I appreciate it. It really helps to know I'm not alone. This is my dream job, but it really has been a rough month, and I don't really see an end in sight!!!!:uhoh21:

Hello everybody, I have been on orientation for circulator for 2 weeks. Many of my coworkers say I make a good team member and that I fit in well already but I feel like a fish out of water! I am so anxious to be good at what I do that I'm making myself nuts. Everyone keeps saying, "don't be so hard on yourself". But the problem is, I feel like my orientation would be a lot smoother if they'd have started me in general cases and gyn, then moved me up to the more intricate cases like ortho but instead they just bounce me around every day and I don't know which end is up anymore! My 3rd day, I was in a AAA repair, then the next day I was back in gyn, then the next in ortho. There is no logic to it at all. wouldn't it make more sense if they let me get a basic grasp of one simpler area before they drop the bomb on me, so to speak? I feel that a consistent orientation with say, a few days in each specialty would greatly benefit me as well as the other staff, since I will be on my own in 3 months and I will be working 3-11, which is a shift at my hospital that a) No one wants, and b) I will be the only circulator on that shift!!!!! I know that my scrub nurse and other seasoned staff will be more than willing to help me when I'm on my own, but I still don't see how I can benefit from this strange, flip floppy orientation! I want to speak to my managers about this on Monday, but I don't want them to think I know it all or anything. I just feel that they have too many other things going on and they aren't truly paying attention to what room they send me in. A lot of the staff agrees with me! Anyhow, I do truly love the O.R. but I want to be a good nurse down there, and I don't feel my orientation is fair to me, let alone my other staff members. Also, were any of you scared to absolute death of contaminating the sterile field? I am! I'm even afraid to "pop" the sterile equipment onto a sterile field. My hands pretty much are shaking when I do it!!! Will that feeling ever go away? And when will I start to feel a little more confident? It truly is hard to be the new kid on the block, especially since I felt so confident when I was a "floor nurse". Thanks for listening, Nicole

;)Thanks for your replies!

I just started my long awaited surgery position today as a circulating RN and I loved it! Everyone was very happy to have me starting there because they need the help so badly, and I feel very "at home" in the o.r. However, I want to make a good impression and do a really good job- I hate being the "new kid" and I would love to hear some tips on making the transition from med-surg nurse of 4 years to operating room nurse. I learned so much today that my head was spinning... and I am to be training for about 3 months. I just wondered if that will be enough time for me to get a hang of things? ( I am training on dayshift but I took a 3-11 position, so when they send me on my own, I won't have a specialty room... I'll pretty much be doing a little of everything.) Sorry such a long post... but does anyone have some pointers for me? Anything you can think of that helped you adjust to this role would help me. Thanks!

I went to Marymount school of practical nursing for my Lpn, and then I went to Excelsior college for my associate degree RN. I did it in the course of 3 years, because I had all my prereq's done already. It was tough, but the money is good and it can be very rewarding if you are working in your specialty area. The only thing I will say, is that the transition from Lpn to Rn is tricky at first, as your coworkers get used to your new role and as you grasp the difference in what an Lpn does from what an Rn does. Both jobs are very important and require lotsa hard work. The stress level is high, but as I said, the rewards are many. If I could go back, and I am telling u this because I wish someone would have told me... I would just have gotten my bachelor's degree in nursing, because it would have saved me time. But it's definitely do-able, either way! P.s.) I work for the cleveland clinic as well, and they need tons of nurses, both lpn and rn. much luck 2 u!

I feel for you. I also think that this site is very beneficial to voice your feelings and get it out where it belongs, not inside where it will fester. I don't think it's inappropriate to talk about the negative side of nursing as well as the positive. Nursing is obviously not all warm fuzzies, so why pretend that it is?!!! I almost quit nursing very recently. Med-surg has worn me down and used me up. I was resorting to xanax, counseling, and antidepressants just to get by. My poor husband, family, and friends had to listen to me cry and freak out every single day. So I stepped away and took a job that was about ten bucks an hour less, at an animal hospital. I immediately felt happy again. I cannot tell you what a weight was lifted from my shoulders! However, it won't pay the bills, so I've finally landed a job in the operating room that I've wanted for four years. I had to bother the o.r. manager for years to get this job, but I'm finally excited about nursing again..... I never, ever thought I would say that! Point is, if you need to step away, do it. It was the best thing I ever could have done for myself and those I love. And for my patients. It doesn't mean you're a bad person... it also doesn't mean you don't have what it takes... you just need a break, whether it's for a while or for ever, from nursing. I sincerely wish you all the best in life. take care!

Hi Jen-Jen, I passed all of the excelsior exams with mostly a's and a few b's. I found that the key to success is to set aside plenty of study time, read each chapter, and high light key points, then always take the practice tests at the end of each chapter. Also, if I recall correctly, Lifespan Psych focuses a lot on the different psychologists and psychiatrists such as Erickson, Maslow, Piaget, etc? (It's been a long time! Sorry if my memory is fuzzy!!!) Try to look at each age group listed and really try to memorize what is expected of each age group. Use little flashcards if you have to! If you do well on the practice tests, you will do well on the real test! Good Luck, Nicole

thanks all of you for your support and opinions. they are all valuable and welcome. I'm so glad nurses and other people like you all are out there when times are tough! Bless this site! -Nicole (luckyduck)

Well, thanks for responding to my question, ingelein. I kind of had that same thought, but I was hoping I was wrong. I know it's my choice whether I stay or go, but I'm really leaning towards just not going back. I don't wanna be a quitter though, and I'm embarassed. But thanks again... I just want some advice from those of you out there who have been there.

Any advice at all would be helpful! My situation: I started a LTC prn position as RN this week. I have never worked in a nursing home as a nurse before, and I told the hiring manager this. She said I'd get as much orientation as I needed. (I didn't expect much more than a week.) I do have prior hospital experience. Well, on my second day, when I was just supposed to be doing my first med pass, (I don't know any of the residents,none of the employees, how to use the phone, where anything is, including charts, resources, etc.) they had a call off and instead of the nurse manager working one of the wings, like she was supposed to, she did chart review somewhere in the facility while my preceptor was taken to another unit and I was left to fend for myself. Needless to say, I was trying to do the best I could, but I did make a lot of mistakes based on not knowing where things were and also not knowing policy, etc. Even the d.o.n. came up to say she was sorry, but since no one offered to help me, I don't see why she bothered. Anyway, I get the impression that the staff here is overworked and not supported well by management. I told them I may not be back, and they said that they would understand if that was the case. Since they hired me on the spot, I assume they're pretty desperate for help. I am supposed to go tomorrow morning for another orientation day but truthfully, I'm angry and worried about losing my license at this kind of place. Am I over reacting? Or should I follow my gut? Sorry this is so long, but I started this prn job to try and find an area in nursing to call "home", and I don't think this is it! Please reply back asap, anyone with advice!!!

How much experience do the insurance companies require you to have prior to hiring you? I've was an LPN for 2 years, Now I'm an associate degree Rn for the last 2. I have no case management experience; only med surg floor nursing. I am decent with computers, and type very well. Any advice?

You know, i've seen ads on careerbuilder for these jobs. It seems they want you to have quite a bit of experience, like in case management or critical care prior to hire. The ads also request that you have good computer skills. Also try looking on the actual insurance company websites under "careers". Good luck to you.