maryarn

Tammy, Thanks very much for your suggestions- they are greatly appreciated. Best of luck in your new nursing career!:icon_roll

I think it might be wise for you to get some experience in other areas before you pursue a position in the OR. Even though the OR is a completely different type of nursing, it's always good to have some experience outside the OR. When you're ready to seek work in the OR, be aware that not all hospitals will be willing to train you to OR nursing(at least that's how it is in California), so you may be required to seek an internship at a hospital that is willing to train. I know the university near me (UC Davis) has a great program for this. Do you have a college or community college near you? Check and see if they have an internship that may be suited to you. The best advice I can give you is do not put yourself in a pigeon hole! Get as much experience as possible in different types of nursing so that you'll have something to fall back on in case you don't like a specific area. The varied experience will also make you much more marketable.

RN1989- thanks for the encouragement and especially your endorsement of diploma nurses! I will definitely check out my state dept. of health. I'm open to any and all suggestions as to employment for a 3-year diploma nurse with 32 years of OR experience who wishes to leave surgery. Seems impossible, but I know there must be something out there!

I also have some hearing loss just as has been described here. I believe that there are some areas that would definitely be troublesome to those of us with mild to moderate hearing loss. I know for myself, I've worked in surgery for 32 years (ugh) and in these later years have found my hearing is becoming worse. I always have to ask everyone to repeat themselves. I think that some areas to avoid, because of too much background noise, would be: OR, ER, ICU (because of the combined noises of monitors beeping, respirators, etc.), and possibly CCU. Seems the more critical the area, the more noise you have- all that I've mentioned plus lots of personnel talking. But this is strictly my own opinion based on my experiences. Good luck in whatever you do!

And nurses that stay in one field of nursing greatly limit their options! Try to experience as many options as you can. I've been an OR nurse for 32 years- that's all I know! Now I'm trying to leave the OR but can't find a job in any other area- I've backed myself into a corner.

what is a 'parish nurse'? I've seen it mentioned in other forums also, but have never heard of it. Also, does anyone know of any jobs that don't require a BSN? I am from the old school and have a 3-year diploma. I've been an OR nurse for 32 years, and wish to get as far away from that as possible! In fact, I'd prefer something with less direct-patient care.

I take no offense at all! I am one of those older nurses!! lol. Except I've worked in OR for 32 years and am definitely ready to get out of there. I'd like to do telephone advice nursing now- I'd be able to talk to 'normal' people rather than arrogant surgeons, and being able to sit for my job would be an added bonus! Because I'm disabled, it's not really feasible for me to take on any job that involves direct patient care in a hospital setting- that's another reason I'd like to explore telephone advice nursing. How do I get experience if I must already have experience to get hired? I think this is one of the worst conundrums nurses must deal with today. Anyone have any advice for me? Is there a class we can take to be more marketable as an advice nurse? Or any other type of class for a different field of nursing? Case management, Quality Assurance, discharge planning?

libmi, telephone triage is exactly what I was thinking about. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

I'm also looking for career advice. I have been an OR nurse for 32 years.I was burnt out in it after the first 10 years, but felt trapped to stay because it was all I knew. I'm now 56 years old and due to a disability am no longer able to work in surgery (what a relief that is!). I need to find a different area of nursing that I would be capable of with only having experience in surgery. I think that a job like yours sounds ideal for me! Can you share more information about what the job entails, if you need specific education, or certificates? Also, how would one go about finding a job like this- do you work for a hospital, an insurance company, or what? Are you considered an advice nurse, or is what you're describing more specialized than advice nursing? Sorry for all the questions, but I'll tell you whatever you need to know about working in surgery...:icon_roll

I also have a story just like Mary's except I've been working in the OR for 32 years. I am 56 now and can no longer work in a hospital setting. I've tried working for ambulatory surgery centers, but that really wasn't any better for me. I'm totally burned out on surgery and possibly nursing altogether. I'd like any information at all on case management, risk management, quality assurance- anything that a 32-year OR nurse could possibly do with some training or classes. If you have any ideas at all, please post them! I need to keep working as a nurse, even at lower pay, because I still believe that nursing is one of the most lucrative jobs out there. Thanks for any and all suggestions!

:cheers:I think you are very smart to move away from ER nursing for a while. I made the mistake of going into OR nursing right out of school, and 32 years later I ended up disabled. OR nursing is all I know, but because of my disability I'm no longer able to work in surgery. I am far away from retirement, so I now have to find an area of nursing out of the OR, and I have no idea what that might be! Have you thought of trying critical care nursing? That might be a good stepping stone for you. Or how about becoming a flight nurse? There are also nurses who work strictly in transplant nursing. I wish you the best of luckon your next career move!