4_Sq

Canadian OR nurse 1.5 x for 1sr 2 hours of call back after a regular shift, then 2.0 x regular rate of pay for on call hours worked after that Must have 8.0 consecutive hours off before next shift Employee is NOT deducted hours from his/her banked time ever If employee is on call and is not called pay is only around $3.25 hr for the on call time Stat holiday call 3.0 x regular rate of pay for all call back hours worked Super Stats 3.75 times regular pay rate eg: worked 2 hours on super stat Reg pay 45 hour x 3.75 = 168.75 x2hours = call back pay of 337,5 dollars for the 2 hours Canada has higher tax rates but it sounds like we are a bit easier on our OR nurses?

Hope none of them will be there for my colonoscopy this afternoon.

Is your glass half full or half empty?

I agree that there are more opportunities for Canadian trained nurses, and for RN's, however, according to the stats there is going to be a huge number of nurses retiring in the next few years I looked at the Interior health LPN postings and there are about 10 casual positions at present A person must hold a practising LPN license to work in Canada Good Luck to your entire family! If there is a will, there is a Way! 4_Sq

I would be tempted to use the MHAUS as my 1st resource. Hopefully they would be able to give you the most current data, algorithms, charts, etc. In our OR we follow the protocol for MH and update according to our anesthetists input. We have all the usuals in the cart, Dantrium, Sterile water for mixing, insulin, chlorpromazine, and so on. We have ice in our fridges and also an ice machine. We still have a " clean machine" however, I think they would just run O2 at 100% should we have an MH event. We do not have a regular inservice on MH but we do have a monthly check of our MH cart for outdates etc. We have a specialty syringe set for rapid mixing of the dantrium. There is the help line for MH, phone number listed as well as a run down of the steps to take. I believe tachycardia is one of the 1st indicators for MH Good luck!

You sound like the perfect candidate for the job! So this OR nurse is cheering for you!

This essay is so difficult for me to write because I am very "to the point" and cannot write an entire essay on why I want to be an OR nurse. Honestly, I can sum it up in two sentence: I excel in work that is technically demanding and requires a precise knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology. I prefer an environment that requires teamwork, stamina, quick-thinking, and interpersonal skills. I think that you captured some of the reasons why you want to work in the OR right here in your first statement you made about how you excel in work that is technically demanding and so on and so on.. you captured in a nutshell the essence of why you are wanting to become an OR nurse. I bet you will do well in your essay, and I bet you will be one fantastic OR nurse! Good Luck

Congrats, I hope you are liking your new job!

A foley is not used to insert a ureteric stent. A stent is placed in the ureter over a guide wire, the stent placement and the procedure is done using xray The stent is used to keep the ureter patent. A stent is much stiffer and is of a much smaller diameter than a foley catheter, it is usually around 5 fr in diameter and approx 26cm long. And Sweet_Wild_Rose is correct, a ureteroscope is used to visualize the ureter during the surgery Stents can be removed by the Urologist in the office (if the threads are left on) Often times the patient will be brought back to the OR for stent replacement or removal. A stent is often placed following laser lithotripsy, and or stone basket extraction, and helps the healing process to take place following removal of a ureteric calculi The foley catheter goes through the urethra into the bladder, & has nothing to do with the ureteric stent. As far as a "leaky foley" goes, that foley should have been replaced.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.. best of luck!

I am speaking only as a Canadian nurse, and yes, I have worked with nurses in the OR who had a background in psychiatry 1st before they took the OR post grad nursing courses. Med Surg is quite different from working in the OR.. and, as I said, I think that each area of nursing is a specialty unto itself.. If there is a will, there is a way! In my opinion, Med Surg is not required to be a good OR nurse.

Looking at today's job market.. would not even consider not going for the BSN. BSN will allow you to compete for the best jobs. Just my 2 cents!

michele742 you are right, and I am willing to bet you will be hired before long! Best of Luck!

I am wishing you luck, sometimes hiring decisions take more than a week!

Arrive @ work early start my day with a coffee! Get morning report from charge nurse. Find out anything unusual on the Operative slate e.g. Malignant Hyperthermia patient, Latex allergy, Difficult Intubation, and so on. I know my assignment in advance so I have already checked what cases we will be doing for the day, and reviewed procedure ahead of time if I am not sure. Alternate scrub and circulate roles with the other nurses in the room. Check all equipment and supplies for day are picked for cases and ready to go. There is a specific Surgeon's preference card for each surgical procedure. Essentially this is like a giant Dr. order sheet.. it tells you what the requirements are for each type of surgery and lists all the product numbers and instrument sets and basic case notes for that surgery. They are generated on the computer, and will be given to the CSD department personnel so that they can pick all required items preoperatively. Check all packaging and instruments for sterility. Depending on service that I am working in for the day, may need special instrument carts with case specific instruments as well as case carts which have all of the sterile instruments and supplies I need for each case. Make sure that the operating room table is set up (case specific) Make an IV or set up arterial line if necessary. Gather drugs required for the case (each case) If I am circulating nurse, check in OR patient, identify patient check through the chart for all of the required data eg: ECG, blood work, consent, OR Checklist complete, history. Check fasting status, check procedure with patient, then again, there will be a time out (surgeon to lead, as soon as I bring the patient to the room) If there is an extra nurse to set up the scrub nurse, then I continue my focus with the patient.. Otherwise, I set up the scrub nurse, open sterile supplies to him/her and perform an instrument count Then I begin the electronic chart for that patient, pull up their record and make sure correct patient entered etc. Make sure anesthetist, surgeon, and scrub ready for patient, then I will bring the patient to the theatre. At this time I am assessing how the patient is feeling about the impending surgery, and whether or not they have had time to have all of their questions answered. This is the time where you can provide a lot of support and reassurance to the patient. I bring them into the OR, and positon them on the OR bed. Attach all monitors, and call for the surgeon, anesthetist and assistant. Surgeon performs time out with the patient. (Specifics of time out performed always) x3. Once with patient participation and surgeon leading. Next after patient anesthetised and after surgical prep is complete. Last time out after case is complete.. to make sure it was done according to what was expected outcomes, correct count etc. etc. Assist with intubation and any other requirements for help that the anesthesiologist might have.. Eg.. assist with spinal, general, epidural, block or what ever else is required of me. Catheterize patient according to specific requirement.. eg.. lengthy surgery.. Make sure patient is safely positioned.. all prominences padded, etc, etc. Apply compression stockings for a lot of the patients.. surgery specific Prep the patient with surgical prep solution. Know the steps of the surgery and be able to anticipate the requirements of the surgical team.. eg bleeding.. know what hemostatic agents I may have to call for.. sutures. ties.. clips etc. Make sure that I am listening at all times to patient monitors, anesthetist, scrub team, and calling for any supplies or assistance we might need. We work as well oiled machine.. OR is team work at it's finest.. You have the number of staff required to safely care for the patient. The experts are all there working at the same time.. usually you are not needing to call 2nd surgeon in, but you can if you need to. You can also call for extra help for anesthesia if required. EG.. another anesthetist, respiratory, etc etc. I have just given you a very basic run down of what one OR procedure is like.. depending on the length of each surgery, you may do quite a few cases in a day, or you may do one case that takes the entire day. The OR is always challenging, and a very technical place to work.. I think it is fun fun fun.. and it is nice to feel this way about your work. No 2 cases are ever the same..different patient.. different anatomy.. I could go on and on but I won't.. I have left out the scrub role,, I am writing a book here.. I hope that I have given you a little bit of an idea what the OR can be like.. Oh, and I forgot to mention.. sometimes we play really nice music! Good luck in your career choice!