Omibashu

I graduated from nursing school in 2010 and worked in the OR for about 18 months, only in Neurosurgery. I left nursing in 2012 and worked in administration. I was just hired at a surgery center as an OR circulator. I was very upfront about my experience and how long I had been out of the clinical setting. They assured me I would have as much training as I needed. They do Urology, General, Ortho, GYN cases. I've only worked about 8 days, all incredibly hectic, with the only other OR nurse there (all the others are out due to COVID). The person "training" me just rushes through everything and I feel like I'm absorbing about 10% of the info. I feel like I'm being so rushed and thrown into things. Last week and today the person training me just said she was leaving when cases were still going on so I had to finish on my own. I don't know any of the cases, prep, position, charting system, nothing. Is this just the way it is in Surgery Centers? My training in 2010 was formal Peri-Op 101 in a major hospital and lasted 10 months. Not sure if I should just suck it up because this is normal or bail. Any advice from OR nurses in busy surgery centers like this?

Thank you again! I am going to hold onto you like my security blanket as I start this new journey. I am going through this specialty thread like you suggested and grabbing what looks helpful. I will also be printing out a list of common labs, meds, med-surg type stuff to brush up on this weekend. Youtube will be my best friend too! I want to be a good nurse who feels confident...that seems like an impossible task right now, but I don't want to give up this time. This might actually be a good time to be starting because with COVID 19 they census is low (72 instead of 92), no families, no admissions. This may be like a "training wheels" few weeks. Thank you again for taking the time to respond to my posts. I am so anxious and scared. It really helps to know that there is a kind and experienced voice out there. Stay safe and I might be DMing you at some point, if you don't mind. Best, Jennifer.

Thank you so much! I just got back from my 2 hours of "orientation"...if you can call it that. I look at patients with tube feedings, IV ABX, O2, etc and I freak out! It's been since clinicals 12 years ago that I had patients like that. I've been reassured a number of times by the DON that the LVNs that are Charge Nurses on each shift have all been there for years and know the patients. I will keep your words in my mind to reassure me. I'm an anxious person in general, and this is the first time that I will be in a supervisory role. The DON has promised me that next week I will have another RN working the shift with me that I will basically "shadow". I feel like if they keep that promise I'll be OK. As far as patient assessments, emergencies, meds, treatments...do you have any advice on what I should study this weekend? I don't start until Monday.

Thank you! I have orientation tomorrow and will bring up all of those issues. My job title is RN Supervisor and I think the pay is decent. I was told there would be 9-10 CNA AND 2 LVN. To be honest I’m terrified of being the senior (and only) nurse on the shift. I told them I’ve been out of clinical settling for a decade and they said they’d have another RN with me until I feel comfortable on my own. Fingers crossed. Thanks again for the response.

Not really. I just want to get back into nursing.

I’ve been out of clinical setting for 10 years. Before that I had two years in the operating room. I’m being offered a 3-11pm shift at a nursing home. I will be the only RN in the shift with about 72 patients. I’ve been reassured that I will have at least 1 week of training and RN in call 24 hours for help. I’ve also been told that the LVNs do all led passes. I would only be doing assessments, IV ABX and admissions. Am I crazy to do this?

I’ve been out of clinical practice for 10 years. I got a call yesterday from a company that runs 38 nursing homes near me. The have had 17 positives and 2 deaths. They are hiring like crazy because they are creating COVID isolation units in the facilities that have positives. Basically hired me over the phone for a supervisory RN job. Said I would not have much direct care, primarily supervising LVN and CNA. They did promise PPE. The pay rate is very good. I don’t have to work but feel like I should. I am healthy and my husband is healthy. Am I crazy to take the risk if I don’t have to?

If you’re willing, try nursing homes. I just got hired at a nursing home in a newly created COVID isolation unit. I’ve been out of clinical practice for 10 years! I got called on Thursday. Orienting in Friday. Starting ASAP. And the rate is insane.

I am a late in life nurse, getting my BSN at 40. I worked one year on a General Medical floor followed by a year and a half in the OR at a major hospital in Los Angeles. I left in 2012 to work in hospital administration and pursue other interests. I have been trying to get back into the clinical setting for a few years now but have not had any luck in the hospital setting due to having been out of practice for so long. I have just been offered a position in a LTC/Sub-Acute Hospital here in L.A. The facility is aware that I have been out of clinical practice for 7 years and are willing to retrain me. My question is what should I do to prepare myself as well as possible for the challenges I know I will face? Any suggestions/support appreciated.

Anyone? Need advice ASAP. This is the only psych hospital that will hire without psych experience, so I'm considering a job offer as an RN.

Anyone worked here before? Have an interview there for an RN position and was wondering what the culture/managment/co-worker situation is like? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Orca - Thank you again!

Orca, Got the PM, but I don't have "permission" to reply on PM yet. Thanks so much for taking the time to help me out. I really appreciate it.

Good to hear that you're still in Psych. I'm really going to try to get some experience, maybe volunteering somewhere because that seems to be such a barrier to moving into psych. The hospital that I did my new grad program at didn't let you even choose psych as an option.

I'm at UCLA in Westwood.

Orca, Thank you so much, that would be amazing! Feel free to pass my email along to him: [email protected]

Hey, I wanted to keep in touch with you because as I mentioned in the original post, I don't work at NPI at RRUMC. I work at the school of medicine, am a nurse, but currently working as an administrative assistant. When do you start there? I'd love to chat with you once you get started.

Anyone here that is a current or former Psychiatric RN at UCLA Medical Center? I am debating trying to make a move into Psych Nursing and would love some first hand input. History: I am a fairly new grad, graduated in 2010 with a BSN, worked on the floor for just under a year in a general medical ward with a dedicated Psych Quad where we treated 5150s, fresh suicide attempts, and other medically unstable psych patients. I then moved to the OR but but discovered it wasn't the best match for me. I am currently working at UCLA in an administrative capacity but am finding that I really miss working with patients. For various reasons, I do not want to return to a medical/surgical floor or the OR. I would love to speak with RNs who have experience here at UCLA because I want to stay here. Thanks!

Ruby Vee, I wanted to apologize for my resonse. I have reread it and I realize that I was overreacting. I think that I am so frustrated and disheartened by my situation that I am overly sensitive. I thank you for your response and will take it to heart.

Everyone, I thank you all for your responses, they are all giving me food for thought and genuine insight into my journey to finding the right nursing career for me. If I offended anyone, particularly RubyVee, I am sorry. Someone posted that I may be frustrated by my current position and I think that is accurate. Again I apologize for responding from a place of anger. I will continue to seek insight and welcome all kinds of input.

hopfrogger, i know this was an old post, you probably already took a position, but for my two cents: if you have issues with stress/OCD then the OR would be a tough place for you. I was a circulator and was on the edge of panic attacks almost everyday. It is an incredibly tense situation where time is always top priority. Surgeons are NOT patient people and they do not care about the nurses. They want what they want when they want it. I can tell you of many times when a surgeon asked me for 3 or 4 things AT THE SAME TIME and then yells because he doesn't get them all at once. I hope you are enjoying whatever position you took and are happy and thriving there. I'd be interested in knowing how things turned out.

Mrs Hoskins, Thank you for your kind response. I am actually seriously considering geriatric homecare, hospice or LTC. I think what I didn't like that most about the nursing positions that I had was that the pace was so fast I hardly had any time to actually spend just being with my patients, listening to them, talking to them. Those times are few and far between in a large urban hospital. Thanks again for the support and suggestions.

Ruby Vee, I "only lasted" 8 months on the floor because it was a waiting period until the OR training program started. I "only lasted" in the OR for 15 months because I herniated a disk. I'm not sure what you're idea of "fast-paced" is or what town you live in...but I worked at the two largest hospitals in Los Angeles, so I know what "fast-paced" is. I'm not sure why so many people choose to respond to posts by being condescending and discouraging. I guess people just like to pass their misery on. No thank you. You can keep yours.

I graduated from nursing school with a BSN in May 2010. Nursing was my second career and I didn't start nursing school until I was 40 years old. I was in an accelerated BSN program in Los Angeles and found a job quickly out of school. I worked on the floor for 8 months before moving to the OR which is where I thought I wanted to be. I only lasted in the OR for 15 months. I am now working at another hospital in an administrative position and am starting to regret my decision to leave clinical nursing. I am seriously considering trying to move back into the clinical arena but I know that I cannot go back to working on a regular med/surg floor or working in a busy OR. I am afraid that my lack of solid experience in nursing may hinder my efforts. Has anyone else left clinical nursing early in their career and tried to return to the clinical setting? Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated.

I graduated from nursing school with a BSN in May 2010. Nursing was my second career and I didn't start nursing school until I was 40 years old. I was in an accelerated BSN program in Los Angeles and found a job quickly out of school. I worked on the floor for 8 months before moving to the OR which is where I thought I wanted to be. I only lasted in the OR for 15 months. I am now working at another hospital in an administrative position and am starting to regret my decision to leave clinical nursing. I am seriously considering trying to move back into the clinical arena, either in geriatrics or hospice nursing, but am afraid that my lack of solid experience in nursing may hinder my efforts. Has anyone else left clinical nursing early in their career and tried to return to the clinical setting? Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated.