msancheeze

I am quite sad to update you my transfer to the ED was blocked by my director, citing insufficient time available to train my replacement. I am crushed, however, I am planning on applying to the next round and welcome your feedback on what I can do to make myself an even better applicant - I was thinking about completing a TNCC course and doing an EMT-Basic. Thoughts??

Thank you, The Nurse Motivator! I just used your post to prep for an ED RN training program interview. My interview panel was impressed...and I got the job! I anticipate the transition from OR nursing to ER will be humbling and terrifying, but with awesome resources like yourself, I'll make it through.

You are absolutely correct. Side-by-side comparison has a regular staff position as the better deal. No family, I have a day dream of taking my VW Westfalia on the road as a travel nurse. Thanks again for your input!

Thanks for the reply, NedRN. Colorado Springs, CO; local contract (I own a home here) at $40 per hour with a 12 month contract, $44 per hour if I decline benefits. Keep in mind it's about $10 more per hour than I would make as a staff nurse at one of the local hospitals. I could make more 75 miles away in Denver, but I don't want to do the daily drive and the traffic is a nightmare.

I have been offered a "local" 12 month assignment at a military base hospital through Spectrum Healthcare Resources. I have never traveled but the compensation seems pretty good for a full time OR RN. Have any of you completed an assignment at a military base - what was it like? Also, any info on Spectrum? Thanks in advance!

You absolutely did the right thing. I found myself in a similar situation the first year of my professional nursing career and again, just last week. I found it emotionally jarring to have to walk off a job and stand my ground, but I left with my professional integrity (and my nursing license) intact.

I rotate between Dansko clogs and high quality running shoes. I spare no expense when it comes to shoes. Also, I'm young-ish, healthy, and fit, but I don't go a day without compression stockings. They make of world of difference at the end of the day as far as hurting feet and swollen ankles. Time will tell how well they ward off spider veins. The wise sages I work with have told me "I really should have stated wearing those years ago..." I have noticed it varies per hospital whether its the norm to wear them or not. Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery, Goldman's Pocket Guide to the Operating Room, AORN, and of course allnurses.com are excellent resources amongst others. Congrats on your dream job and welcome to OR nursing!

Still using our Rover 2's for now but in addition to a "Neptune Suction Safety Checklist" that must be verbally completed for each procedure with the time out (if you ever worried about adequate prep dry time, not an issue now...) many of the surgeons are refusing to use it. *Sigh*

Love vascular and ortho. I'm not too picky but I hate any procedure that starts with "I & D of..."

I would go so far to say that I am burnt out on call. There's just something about being yanked out of my bed at 2am and having to work every third weekend in addition to my 40+ hours per week that makes me want to leave the OR entirely. Harsh words for an OR nurse: "I'm thinking about going back to the floor".

I worked with a CST and an RN in the OR who were both veterinary techs prior to their careers in the OR and from what they told me, there was a fair amount of crossover. I would say you have a leg up on the competition. Are you planning on working while in school? A good shoe-in for the department is to work as an OR aide/orderly/transport tech/whatever entry-level position you can find.

Some of my best work memories are of working the holidays... Like many have mentioned, the patients and families are grateful, the doctors are nicer, and the one's that are not get a little something extra from the supply room in their unit stocking...like an athletic supporter or an enema bag.

Stay far, far away from HCA/HealthOne. Two words: FOR PROFIT. Lowest pay, worst benefits, most expensive health insurance (especially if you have a family), and notorious for the bait-and-switch recruitment tactic - they bait you with a good schedule or singing bonus, lock you in with a work contract, and change the rules of the game. Of note, some of the nicest and best nurses I have ever worked with. Management varies but their hands are often tied by the corporate entity and they flounder to provide "service excellence" in a "do more with less" culture. There is a reason for the break-neck pace of RN turnover and high dollar signing bonuses. Do your homework on HCA and decide for yourself. I have heard great things about DH. They have a fantastic reputation in the Denver nursing community and reportedly some of the best benefits and pay. The ER is a true level I trauma center ER. I don't know much about St. Anthony/Centura right now - they faced some hard times when the economy dropped and went through some management changes. Hope this helps. P.S. avoid HCA like the plague and c-diff combined.

I work in surgery so the only time I come out of the "dungeon" is to interview patients or speak with family members. I always make sure my name badge is flipped to the correct side before I interact.

I just transitioned from a small, regional hospital OR where I took over 100 hours of call every four weeks to a large, level I trauma center OR where I take approx 32 hours of call every four weeks. I can count on one hand the number of times I was on-call and did not get called in at the smaller hospital. The level I OR is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and if I get called, it's to backup the teams already working. It seems like the smaller the hospital, the greater the hours of call. I liked working call and my paycheck was pretty well padded, but my work/life balance suffered...a lot.