anitime

Hi Can anyone tell me how long the psyc theory/practicum is in the 2 yr. program. I am a Canadian nurse who has worked in Texas for 5 yrs. and am now working in Canada in the OR. I am trying to get my California license and they seem to be having a problem in this area. I did the theory and then spent 100 hrs. in the psyc. unit with a preceptor 15 yrs ago. The Ca. board wants me to do another psyc. course. I am reluctant to do this iso I am trying to reason with them. I wrote my NCLEX while in Texas. Any info would be much appreciated.... Thanks....anitime

It seems to me that when you are training for the OR you will be refreshing at the same time. Anyone who has worked emerg. should be able to pick up fairly quickly!!! The OR is such a different area of work. You have to learn a lot of instrumentation, how to set rooms up, pt positioning and safety. surgeons preferences etc. The circulating part of the job includes checking in the pt. and assessing them while you do it but that is basic nursing which you have done a lot of!! I have worked with nurses who came straight to the OR after graduating and they did fine. If you really want to do it go for it.

I was 46 when I trained in the OR in Texas. The average age for OR nurses is about 48 in Canada due to an aging workforce and shortage of nurses. There is also a huge shortage in the US. The previous writer explained the training..... The one thing you have do is harden up... It is not as touchy feely as floor nursing... Some of the docs can be real jerks and act out in a setting where the patient is asleep. But on the whole OR nursing is great. You only have one pt. at a time. Go for it!!!!