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.

My workplace does not pay for AORN membership but does encourage membership. They do offer reimbursement for the CNOR certification exam and pay in full for ACLS/PALS courses in addition to paying us our base wage for class time. I have met a mixed audience in my pursuit of continued education - "why would you want to do that, we don't need it here..." but like many others have posted, keeping your skills fresh, your brain sharp, and your skill base diverse never hurts, especially when the job hunt begins!

The market is still pretty bleak for new grads across the state, but considerably better than it was three years ago. There seems to be a high turnover rate for experienced RNs in several of the specialty areas of Health One hospitals. The 2011(?) buyout by HCA and some administration/management changes may be a contributing factor.

Thank you lockheart678 and Dela RN! Your suggestions will most definitely help me prepare for my upcoming interviews!

I will be interviewing for an OR position in a few weeks, what questions should I be prepared to answer as an experienced OR nurse? I have an idea of the behavioral questions (for example "describe a conflict with a coworker and how you handled it?") they will ask but what else should I be prepared for? Should I be able to rattle off statistics related to my current position - number of surgeries per month/year, SCIP compliance, etc?? I have been in my current position for three years so I'm a bit 'interview rusty'. Also, the facility is significantly larger than my current place of employment - 150+ more beds and a level I vs a level II trauma center. What kind of questions should I ask in return aside from call requirements and scheduling? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

What is the management and administration like at Swedish right now? There seems to be a continual ebb and flow of RN vacancies and I question the turnover rate.

Has anyone taken or been required to take the TNCC course as an operating room RN? I recently saw this listed as a preferred qualification in addition to CNOR for a job listing - is this common? If you took the course, was it beneficial to your practice?

I agree with ScrubRNwannabe. The OR needs to see your face and know you're interested. I was working on a surgical floor as a new grad but knew I wanted to be in the OR. I went to the OR for a day to observe per the new grad orientation on the floor and took the opportunity to let them know I wanted to be a part of their team. I spoke with the nurses, manager, and director. I busted my butt the entire day helping as much as I could from foleys to turnovers to scrapping blood off the mayo stands. I asked tons of questions and followed up my observation day with emails. Lo and behold I got an interview a month later and have been in the OR ever since! Also, does the OR at your facility offer an AORN Periop 101 program? If not, look for the course in your area. The Mayo Clinic/Mayo School of Health Sciences offers a fellowship in perioperative nursing that includes the AORN cirriculum, perhaps there is something similar at a facility near you.

Your post brought a smile to my face. I was a floor nurse before transferring to the OR three years ago. On occasion, I entertain the thought of returning to the floor, romancing the idea of the occasional (okay - rare) patient and family that appreciate my efforts. I miss the war torn camaraderie with the other nurses, the hilarity of the patients (me going through admission questions: "what is your understanding of your illness?" Pt: "The scab done come of my colon!"), watching my clinical skill and knowledge progress from fearful GN to a source for new GNs, and what seemed like greater autonomy. What I don't miss is like you said - everything in the "I'm tired of it" thread and the feeling that I never had the resources to adequately care for my 5-7 patients. Dang...it sure feels good to have found a home. :w00t:

I'm in the process of looking. Would you PM me with specifics?

I have been wearing Sanita/Dansko Professional clogs for years but recently tried a pair of Super Birki Clogs. Both are great with sturdy construction, good support, and wipe clean!