amiss5572

Neuro and cardiac but I find it more enjoyable based on the doctors and staff I work with more.

Have 8 months under my belt at a very very small hospital. 3 ORs and was getting called off alllll the time. So I'm at a place with 10 ORs now and they have a heart room. I love it in the heart room. This place is severely understaffed with only two nurses that know hearts. None of the other nurses want to do it. The doctor in there is also amazing. The most patient, kindest and even funniest doctor I've ever met. The manager is all for me being in the room and learning but one of the nurses is not a nice person at all. Always putting everyone down. I've never seen someone so hated and mean. She also discourages me from being in there. I know it's a lot, but I'm willing to learn. Am I getting over my head? I just broke up with my boyfriend so I have a lot of time on my hands.. Ha. So I can spend my nights studying. I'm just curious to get others input with experience than from a super negative nurse who should probably retire because she's so unhappy (she's also in her 80s)

@Rianne.. Wow do you get to work with Dr. Now??? Love watching him

Thank you for all the kind words and support. It's weird to come back now and read what I went through. It's been close to a year and I find myself in a similar situation now! Lol. So I'll give you an update.. I started in a very small or. 3 rooms and one endo. I feel like it took me a good 6 to 7 months to finally start feeling comfortable. I downloaded an app and put all my own notes on every doctor. Then we started slowing way down and I was getting called off 3 days a pay period plus getting sent home early. I can't pay my student loans with that! They also hired a new nurse so I know I'd be put on the back burner, not getting in cases and cleaning. If you're a new nurse do not go to a small hospital, unless you plan to stay ther. So I left and started in a hospital with 10 ORs and a separate endo. Much bigger. Come to find out they are severely understaffed. They have just as many nurses as I did at my first job...but, 10 times busier. They also do things that shouldn't be aloud. Nurses will chart on things that the doctors or nurses won't do. So I've had 9 months experience in a very small hospital and they are already trying to put me in cases by myself with doctors I don't know, equipment ivr never used and a facility I've never even been given a tour of (and I've asked). I've only been there a week! Lol. I think nursing is just crazy now. Like what is wrong with hospitals these days? It's a person's life and I shouldn't be put in these situations. Then it looks bad if I keep leaving my job and finding other work. So I'm not sure what I'll do. As an or nurse you don't have a lot of people around. You could get called in and be by yourself. It's just a bit scary.

Thanks... Apart of me thinks, don't let her win because this is clearly what she wants. But to me thats just sick to think like that and I've worked so hard the last 9 months. I don't need to suck up to anybody or feel threatened by them. But then I also need any extra money too. I hope I don't cave and just stick it through the next few days

My charge nurse is driving me nuts to the point I want to go against my own ethics and just leave. Please give me your feedback. This is my first nursing job in a very very small OR unit. It's been difficult because it's such little experience. I have been here 9 months now. The last 4 months I get called off all the time. I went to my manager and explained to her that I am looking for anther jobs because I have student loans. I did this in a professional way and she understood that I'm a single mom with bills. She became worried but it took her almost a month to get me working at a partner hospital. In that time I applied, interviewed and was offered a new position. It was a hard deciding but I accepted that position. Gave my 3 weeks notice and even said that I can remain prn. So now it's my last week of work. I have been given so much crap from the charge nurse. This is someone who personally told me that I need to do what I need to do. Last week I was LCA 3 straight days. While a prn nurse worked!!! She gave me excuses about the reasons. She also yelled at me in front of the entire nursing/tech team. Telling me I needed to complete another nurses charting. It was just ridiculous and embarrassed me because it's not my responsibility when I wasn't even in the room to chart for that patient. There's so many other petty things. I am just done. Would it be completely unethical to just call off my last 2 days of work? I really wanted to remain prn. It would have been a little extra money in my pocket. But I feel miserable when I go there now. I don't know who I can trust because as a charge nurse she gossips about everyone. Calling me off while having a prn nurse work is completely against policy and I've brought all of this up to the manager. The manager even said it sounds like bullying to her because of some of the things she has done. We were supposed to have a meeting today but that never took place. I just feel like I'm done. I don't want it to impact my future though

Thanks! Can you tell me where you went to school and a little more anout it? How long it took, cost and overall experience.

Ive been working in the or for 9 months now. I love love it. Even have been trained in preop and PACU. I want to do more though and go back to school. From my research I have to wait 2 years to get aorn certified then to become a first assist. Does anyone else have other options they have done? Just want to get back in school.

I find the or staff to be very territorial. There was on one anesthesia provider that I felt "comfortable" with. It was like none of them trusted me or thought I didn't know what I was doing. And I didn't and still have only a little clue. Haha. But after 8 months I feel so much better. Just give it time

I struggle too. Spent 80,000 on an education and I know little about the operating room. I just bought the care of a patient in surgery. Very good book although expensive. My OR has a few videos as well, have thought about speaking them home for a few nights. Maybe see what resources your manager might offer?

I work with a woman in her late 60s and she has more energy then me. So I think it depends on you.

I love it. I've only been there for 3.5 months but loving it. Although at rhe same time it is very challenging. I really don't think that OR nursing is for everyone though. You have to be able to stand up for yourself and most importantly for the patient. I work with a lot of great surgeons so it makes it easier but I have heard many horror stories. Also the pay is great.

Or nursing is nothing like clinicals or floor nursing. Maybe one day you will go back.

New grad nurse here with 2 months experience in the OR. So I'm having issues understanding the whole Vag wet prep technique. Every nurse has their own technique and its confusing to me. I find it very difficult to find material online about it as well. First, this is it is not a clean case, so the same sterile techniques don't apply? I mean, you try to be as sterile as possible, but obviously that area isn't very clean? Some tell me to go up and down and others tell me to go to the side. I know that this is completely different from prepping an abdomen.. Today also had a TURP that I preped for. So I used the soap first with these hand sponges and I always feel like it's so unsterile. I'm using sterile gloves, but it's impossible to not touch the skin. Then when I get to the prep I use stick sponges and am told it's okay to hold the member, but I feel like my gloves are no longer sterile!! Ahh it's driving me nuts and maybe none of this makes sense to anybody. If you understand what I'm trying to say or have some good references, please share them.

Thanks birdie. Slowly learning :)