Question for OR Nurses???

I am putting on my asbestos scrubs and giving my opinion on this subject. I went straight into the OR upon my graduation from nursing school (diploma program...I'm old). There was never any question that doing that wasn't best. I learned the OR from the ground up and have (so far) spent 30+ years as an OR nurse.

Fast forward a few years - trends changed and it became almost standard in my part of the country to have at least 1 year of Med Surg experience before going to the OR. Keep fast-forwarding and I am the OR Director - a new grad applies and I tell her no, she needs to get that Med-Surg experience. But the next new grad who contacts me has had a special OR nursing internship during her BSN program. With some misgivings I went ahead and hired her. She turned out to be one of the best OR nurses I ever worked with!

So what's my point? If your program offers a practicum or internship in OR - take it. It will help you find out if it is truly what you want to do AND should give you a foot in the door when seeking an OR job as a new grad.

Again, this is simply my experience and opinion. I'm sure others think quite differently and will very likely let us know. :)

Criss

I agree with above. Unless you have spent some time in the OR, and I mean real time, not just a couple of days shadowing, it is very difficult to know if it is really for you. It is also impossible for employers to be able to evaluate whether you have what it takes to make it worth their while training you. OR training is generally more extensive than you will get in other departments because the variety of what we do is so extensive. Few hospitals have dedicated staff to a particular service (unless open heart, or transplant teams etc), so everyone has to know how to do everything.

I have seen people beg to get into the OR, only to beg to get out some months later because it really isn't what they thought it was going to be and they were miserable.

The best preparation you can to is like Criss said, get in on a clinical rotation if your school provides for this. Otherwise, get in as a tech, floor cleaner or whatever else you need to do to get some insight and experience.

Off topic, but do you really play banjo good?

I pick a bit of mandolin myself...