Question about nurse and Surgical tech

Specialties Operating Room

Published

What exactly do the RN and Surgical Techs each do in the OR? I'm trying to choose between them both and I can't find anything online that really describes either of them. and can LPNs work in the OR?

Specializes in ER/ OR/ PACU and now Occupational Health.

Mike to answer your question no I am not an LVN. I am a Surgical Tech. We don't have any LVN's in our OR. I am in RN school at the moment. Also I was not directing that soap box monent at you in any way. My own Mom(RN of 30 years and is a circulator) even tends to put down our role. Just a general observation that many scrubs(not just myself) make. I was really not trying to offend anyone. I was just stressed out last night after studying for 7 hours straight for finals and I am sorry if I seemed rude.

Maybe the differences in where we live and OR cultures vary our opinions of this matter. I think it is great if you can scrub I was just saying I have not seen it much at any of the places that I have worked. As a matter of fact it kind of upsets me that my bosses are telling me that they will not let me scrub anymore once I graduate.

Marie again it may be a difference in area and culture but we are still occasionally called scrub nurses at work by the docs and our bosses. It's an old term from when they first started using nurses to assist in surgery back in the day and I am pretty sure it was before any RN or LVN title came along.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Courtney, apology totally accepted. Just be careful not to call yourself a nurse until you become one. It's actually against the law to call yourself a nurse. See articles....

http://tinyurl.com/2y2ka5

http://tinyurl.com/yusrsm

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/ OR/ PACU and now Occupational Health.

Thanks for the advice. This is the only place I use scrub nurse as a screen name. I have never posed as a nurse or tried to have people think I am one. I forget that this is a medical site and you don't have to give very alternative name for surgical tech to explain what you do. Usually when people ask me what I do and I say surgical tech they ask if I mop the floors.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We don't scrub the floors or take out your trash!!! My nurses at my facility make about $4 dollors more an hour than Scrub techs.

Most of our nurses respect the job we do because if they were put in that position they know that they would have to have lots of practice to do the job we do.

When a patient crashes.....it's generally the scrub tech who jumps right in with compressions while a good part of the nurses stand back(in my experience)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We don't scrub the floors or take out your trash!!! . My nurses at my facility make about $4 dollors more an hour than Scrub techs.

Most of our nurses respect the job we do because if they were put in that position they know that they would have to have lots of practice to do the job we do.

When a patient crashes.....it's generally the scrub tech who jumps right in with compressions while a good part of the nurses stand back(in my experience)

By the way, I'm an RN and I can scrub almost any case AND I can circulate.

If scrub techs earned as much as nurses, I would let my nursing license expire and become a scrub tech because scrubbing is fun and easier than circulating.

Also, I mop floors between cases and help with the trash, not because I have to, but because I don't act like I am too good to do so.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey there I'm a CST/current nursing student, I know this sounds cliché but if I knew then what I know now I would of skipped surgical tech school and became a RN. If your the kind of person thats constantly challenging yourself to learn more, I urge you to go ahead and go to nursing school, that extra year of schooling be over before you know it. I LOVE SCRUBBING, and I work at a facility where Rn's and CST's scrub so I will be able to continue scrubing after graduating nursing school! I personally think that Rn's who scrub are better able to anticipate the needs of the case, especially if they are working with a new scrub, or a scrub who is unfamiliar with the case.So if you really have an interest in "passing instruments to Dr's" go ahead and go to nursing school, not only will you be able to scrub, you'll be able to first assist, you'll earn higher pay, more respect (I'm sure some of you Rn's are rolling your eyes at this but its true, if in doubt refer to the quotations above!)and last but not least you'll be able to provide better patient care because of your education in all aspects of nursing verses surgical tech schooling which is limited to the operating room.

Best Wishes,

Jennifer

PS. Ive been a CST for a year and a half and I earn 15 dollars an hour, my facility starts new nurses out at 19 dollars an hour, it's not all about the money!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

To Mary54, the sales person who wants to know more about the O.R.: Check out AORN's certification program for sales reps. Indeed, many O.R.'s require you to present credentials that prove you've taken the AORN course AND kept up to date on area O.R.'s changing policies and procedures as they affect your role in the O.R. or on a particular case. Every hospital takes a different view on the presence of a sales rep in the O.R. but ALL should appreciate the fact that you've done your homework and show up prepared to take your proper place. Good luck to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment