smarkley

I'm so glad to see other people are interested in this stuff too! I buy some things off of ebay, but I was wondering if you have any other websites or any where else that you buy this stuff?

I was like that too...I worked on a busy ortho unit and I ended up crying all the time. I tried every shift on that unit because I liked the pts so much...but then I eventually decided I had to quit. I went to a counselor and got some anxiety issues straightened out, and started working in the OR. I loved the OR! The pace is entirely different. There is not so much one on one with the pt but you are the last person they see before they go to sleep, so you have to make them feel comforted. Now I am a private scrub nurse for a surgeon, and it's so hard for me to think back to the times that I cried on the job. I can't believe I let myself get so frustrated. I love my job now and it was the best career move I could have made. Stick in there!! :)

There was one night when I worked on an ortho unit that I was in a pt room. I heard a commotion out in the hallway, looked out and saw a pt standing in the middle of the hall, screaming at the top of his lungs. Other nurses were trying to calm him down and figure out where he came from (he had wandered from another unit). "GIVE ME DR. HALDOL!! I NEED DR. HALDOL!" He screamed this over and over until security could come and help the nurses calm him down. I still laugh about that now.

Thanks for the reply, that's what I was thinking but there were nurses at the conference that made it sound like some were being done in IR or the cath lab and that was a very scary thought!

I was just curious-in your facility do cardiologists place endografts or surgeons? Do they collaborate? Are they done in the cath lab or the OR? I work for a surgeon who collaborates frequently with a cardiologist in the OR. The surgeon also performs them himself. I was at the annual Society for Vascular Nurses meeting this past week and one of the discussions made me think of these questions. Any input would be very helpful.

I worked as a student nurse on an ortho unit for about 1 1/2 years and then as an RN for the same amount of time. I then went to work in the OR and worked there for 2 years before I became a private scrub. I am not certified as a first assist, but I believe I perform many of the duties that they do. I help the surgeon in the office, with rounds, and in the OR. I am very glad that I had the opportunity to be a floor nurse first, the experience was great. It helps me to understand the whole picture. The surgeon I work for tends to see just his side, so I am glad I can give input as to maybe what the patient is feeling. It also really helped my clinical skills. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!! :)

It is very important to make sure the blood pressure stays stable and the heart is stable so the organs will still be viable. They also monitor urine output to make sure the kidneys haven't shut down. If the patient's organs start to fail, they can't be used in another person. Many times there are a lot of med drips to keep the BP and heart rate stable, so they monitor those as well. As soon as the heart has been flushed with cardioplegia and the other organs flushed, the anesthesia machine can be turned off...I also (if I remember correctly) think that they make sure the lungs are up before they shut the machine off...I know they were up when I packed them. The time for each donor case varies, depending on what organs they are taking. I have seen some that have only taken a couple of hours start to finish and others that have been much longer. Hope this helps!

I worked in the OR for about 1 1/2 years before I became a private...he had to train me on some aspects such as closing the skin, but I was familiar with the procedures and the instruments. If you are interested in the OR, you should look into it...I love it! It can be very challenging at times but the technology that the surgeons use is amazing. I find it very interesting work.

I am an office nurse/private scrub for a surgeon. I make around $44,500 a year.

I work for vascular surgeons and we remove varicose veins all the time. Many times the veins are caused by the valves in the saphenous vein not working correctly causing reflux. We perform phlebectomies and almost always strip the saphenous vein to prevent reoccurance. The support hose that our clinic recommends has 25-30 mmHg of pressure. We usually prescribe knee highs. We also recommend elevating the legs above the level of the waist, and preferably above the level of the heart to help decrease the swelling and pain and promote venous return.

Hi, sorry to hear about your troubles...I too hated bedside nursing and went through a bout of depression and anxiety. I ended up going to a psychiatrist and getting on meds, but I also changed positions. I went to work in the OR, and I LOVE it! There is still stress there but I find it's easier when you don't have to talk to the patients other than making sure you have the right person, doing the right procedure, etc. Just keep in mind there are plenty of options for nurses other than bedside nursing! Good luck and I will keep you in my prayers.

I recently worked in a large trauma center and I was able to go on donor runs...where I went and helped the surgeon harvest the organs. I have also participated in some at our hospital where I was the circulator in the situation. As far as harvesting the organs as a scrub, that part wasn't so depressing. The depressing part for me was after the procedure was over and we were cleaning the patient up. By that time all the chaos of the procurement is over and anesthesia has long since left the room. It is very quiet in the ORs and even if there are several staff members helping to clean everyone is pretty somber. Everyone seems to take that time to reflect and I know that some of the ppl I used to work with were angry at how they felt the patient was treated. It is kind of brutal, they don't take any care to make it "pretty". It's a very gruesome incision. I don't know if there are any more studies done on the topic. It is very rewarding, on a happier note, to know that the organs are saving a life. Our hospital does a lot of heart and lung transplants so we see more of the organs going in patients than being harvested. Most organs come from other hospitals.

I found this website by using google...I was just doing a general nurse website search...so far I've found it interesting.