Well I went from correctional to surgery. That's like apple and orange. Totally different. I learned everything new. Nursing school can't teach you that either.
Here is how I got in:
1. I know someone in the surgery department.
2. OR manager was looking for someone has a good attendance and I didn't call in for the whole year. OR was shorted of working people. They didn't care much about my correctional or lack of hospital experience. Attendance was more important to them.
3. Also correctional and surgery were in the same health service department. So I didn't quit per se. I transferred, which the process was shorter than hiring a new one from start.
I don't wish for anything really. Things happened for reasons. The universe wanted me to start correctional before surgery. What can I do?
Correctional is VERY slow pace. Nothing is really change in short amount of time. Neither patients or the department. Everyday is the same. Nothing new. Well that's depends what it's your assignment. But even correctional critical patients who are in jail are not really critical. If they are really sick, they will be in the hospital.
OR, on another hand, things can change really fast, e.g. patient or your assignment, etc. We have 8 OR rooms. None of those rooms are the same specialty. 1st room is Opth, 2nd is ENT, 3rd is GYN, and so on. You will be move from room to room. Or other specialty case got moved into your room. It keeps you on your toes.
We also do trama, only to stable the patient. It was a gun shot wound. Pt was dumped in front of ER.
In OR, it's 1 to 1 ratio. I don't deal with family members. Talk to patient little bit before the case.
Well I guess you can see the pictures now.