Leyona

Why is this scary to you? Yes I do happen to know what I am mixing, I know its classification and side effects of the drugs I am using. I also realized the dangers of mixing wrong. I was taught not only in school but by the surgeon I work with. Which is why he trusts me to more so than someone who is reading it off of a preference card. Also if the "tech " is responsible at the table to know what they have and all of its possible side effects, the surgeon has to be confident they know what they are giving him. It boils down to trust. Everyone has gotten completely off the actual subject here. My post was ment to encourage RNs to learn to scrub and who better than someone with knowledge and the trust of the people they work with, I taught Surgical Technology for 2 years and some of my students have become great techs and wonderful First assistants and yes some of them are now RNs and tell me often they apreciated my help because it has helped thier skills in the OR. Leyona , PhD, MS, ADST (just in case you all felt I have no education behind be)

The question that was posted was: Should RNs be required to have scrub knowledge prior to circulating. My response basically was yes. I feel everyone in the OR needs all the skills required to be competent in the OR. I have no problem with RNs, and I work VERY well with everyone in the room, my role as First assistant is different than that of the basic scrub tech. It IS my responsibility to know and be sure my scubber and Nurse have everything we could posssibly need. My Problem lies with the hiring of NEW GRADS into an OR setting when they have no real clinical experience. Most of these RN Grads have only had one or 2 days in the OR if any. I work privately for a surgeon as his assistant so yes he trusts me to mix our meds before he would trust anyone else. I do nothing that is out of my "scope of practice" I do everything under the supervision of my Surgeon, and everyone respects my knowledge and the fact that they know our cases will go as smoothly and efficiantly as possible. I apologize if anyone misunderstood my post.

I have been a First Assist for 13 of the 17 years I have been scrubbing and NO I am not a RN. I make as much or sometimes more than the RNs in the room. I can circulate circles around most of the RNs they grab off the street to fill some policy that states an RN must be in the room.The RNs come to me and ask what we need, I am usually the one to pull all equiptment the supplies, meds and mix then prior to the case because they give me some new grad fresh out of nursing school and expect me to be able to teach them. I have no problem with the teaching part, but when an RN walks into the room and is learning to scrub or circulate with me, she better be ready to do it herself.. I am a great teacher but I think you have to get your hands dirty to learn. Circulators: No sitting back reading a book or magazine after the case starts, you better be standing at my back table ready & willing to learn and LISTEN>>> Watch what's going on and be ready to anticipate the needs of the scrubber, myself and my surgeon. No different than my job. I have the experience in the OR and feel everone deserves to learn and if you are willing; keep asking, keep begging and if your free, ask a Tech to let you scrub in with them. Talk with the general surgeons about helping out on small cases. So in response to the question: YES all of us should be crossed trained to be able to function in any area of the OR. NO EXCEPTIONS... A patient shouldn't be in danger or die because they don't have properly trained staff in place.