mare-mare

Where I work, as a general rule anesthesia and surgeons really don't like people to be on steroids before surgery, unless of course they are long time steroid users. Actually, I just had surgery (18 days post-op ACL I can not wait to go back to work!) and was on some steriods for a rash and was told to completely stop them several days before due to them slowing healing. Hope that helped answered your question

General society does not know what the difference is between a LPN or an RN. They think "nurse" means registered nurse, look at studies it's a fact. When you tell people that you are a "nurse" they think they are getting something different then what in fact they are. We all need to educate those we come into contact with. If you took my reply as condescending, too bad.

Boy, what a heated thread! Ok, I work with some awsome CSTs and I work with some horrible ones too, just as I work with some awsome nurses and some terrible ones also. Carcha has said that CST's are here to stay, but personaly feels against them... it's an opinion. In sitting here reading this entire thread just now I think that the CSTs are the one coming out a little defensive. It's like they have to continually try and get one-up on the RN's. Lets face it, we both have our roles and we should concentrate at being the best at them we can. I do have to say though, I have a huge pet peeve about people who are not registered nurses refering to themselvs as nurses... I worked hard to become an RN, and yes others may work hard at becoming LVN's, CSTs, etc... but you are not a REGISTERED NURSE.

I cringe everytime I see a surgeon staple a drape to a patient, but by and large only our general surgeons do it. They say that sticky drapes just don't cut it and they want the towels to stay where they put them. We kid that a general surgeon can't perform surgery without a stapler and our orthopods don't know which end of a stapler to use.

Boy, am I lucky! The very first day I was an RN I worked in the OR, and I love it! I can't imagine working anyplace else. I do work at a smaller hospital and have the blessing of doing everything and being fully supported while learning it all. I've been in the OR a little over 2 years and encourage anyone who might want to be there to try it. I do have to say that it is probably one of the hardest places to work, simply because there is so much "stuff" to know and you are truly in a life-or-death situation at times. I often go home feeling like a mechanic, but I am also so fullfilled to know that I really did impact someones life. Now in answer to the above thread, who do you think you are to say what you have about OR nurses? It sounds like you have never been IN an OR let alone worked in one! Nurses have been know to eat their young, but all new nurses have the responsibility to change that and move on, we can't change the past. PS wanna know one sure way to really anger an OR nurse? Tell us we don't do anything... you obviously have no idea what it is we do!

Where I work the most sacred cows have to do with ortho cases... they just within the last year stopped making us put a total joint pt on the OR bed out in the hallway! Don't even get me stated on pouring water for the orthapods... talk about a Dr. having a cow!

I went into the OR a little over a year ago, yep straight out of nursing school, and I love it. I do get a lot of flack (for being the baby mostly), but I also get a lot of support. I have no problem saying when I'm uncomfortable and need help, and you know what, nobody I work with has a problem with it either. Many people I work with tell me that it takes a good 3 years to be competent and more importantly FEEL competent in the OR... anyone who does so sooner is fooling themselves... the more you know, the more you know you need to learn!

I too wrote a letter because of all the reasons everyone has said. We need to demand respect for our professions, other professions that require far less education and devotion would never be harpooned like ours is. Can you think of any other that is stereotyped liked ours? Possibly flight attendents, maybe, but that's about it. People LOVE us when they need us, but until then...

Wet, warm and not mine... I'm gloving up baby!! (heck even cold and not mine)

At work we often discusse the grossest thing we have ever seen at work, well one nurse won hands down (even worse than the chicken feathers) She was taking care of a disoriented older man with many, many tubes from many, many places. Well he was NPO as you can imagine, but was very thirsty. He did alright for most of the day but while walking past his room someone noticed he has his back to the door and was kinda slumped over. Upon investigation, they found that he was sucking on his G-tube!! Of course you can imagine the freak-out form the staff, but all he said was "boy the water tastes weird here":eek: Makes me sick just thining about it! Gotta say, I love this thread, I've e-mailed it to all my friends:D