peps007

Thank you. A plastic tube holder will help. We are concerned about potential for burn with the penetrating towel clip. Have you ever seen a draping method not requiring the metal towel clip? We realize safety holsters should be used, but we want to take our preventative measures a step further.

How are you draping open heart patients, specifically securing the tube holder for bypass lines? We have some safety concerns re: our current practice of securing the metal holder with a penetrating towel clamp which touches the skin and can burn the patient. Are there non-conductive products on the market, or a better way of draping open heart patients? Thanks.

Thanks, we have a shared drive in place here for scrub notes and surgeon preferences. I am developing a comprehensive orientation manual and am looking to review other hospital's manuals for ideas. Any good textbooks you recommend?

Does anyone have a good CVOR orientation manual they can pass on? Any good resource recommendations (i.e. textbooks, websites, etc.)? Thanks.

Do all hospitals follow this RPN/RN combination format? I thought I heard some (i.e. Mount Sinai) are RN only throughout the hospital. For those that do have RPNs in the OR, is there one in every room? I'm trying to guage if the RN gets stuck circulating 100% of the time because of the RPN/ORT incorporation.

YAY!!!! Thats the answer I was hoping to hear I just sent a request for a license application last night, so hopefully that comes through soon....

So some operating rooms in ON are RN only? Can you please tell me which ones? Does this mean all the others use RPN/LVNs, or is there another role (ie. surgical tech, like we use in the US) also? I just want to get a feel for the staffing balance, so I can get an idea as to whether I would routinely get to scrub and not lose those skills, or if the hospitals will let 'cheaper' personnel do the job.

I have four years full time operating room experience with glowing reviews from management. I have found just one hospital (didn't realize there was such a freeze) that had several OR positions. I'm going to apply and see what happens, but I don't want to work there if the RN circulates only as I have mastered that and need a different challenge. I do scrub minor cases (general surgery, plastics, minor vascular) so I wouldn't be completely starting the scrub role from scratch. Obviously I know positions, instruments, speciment handling, sterility, etc., so I have the advantage over a new grad or someone just now attempting transition into the service. Thanks for your quick reply Janfrn. Out of curiosity, what is your OR exposure?

I graduated from a Canadian nursing school, but have done all of my hands-on training in the US. What is the role of the Operating Room nurse in Canada? Here, we use surgical techs to scrub, so the RN rarely ever gets to scrub. I hear its an all RN staff in Canadian ORs. I would love to move to Ontario and learn to proficiently scrub and circulate all services. Is this realistic?