Questions about OR policies

orrnlori, RN · Feb 11, 2004

When I was in the major OR at our level 1 trauma hospital our response time was 20 minutes. Can't be done and I only live 4 miles from work, especially from a dead sleep. I now take 4 hours beyond end of shift call 1 day a week and I can count on staying about half the time at least 2 hours beyond the end of my shift.

suzanne4, RN · Feb 11, 2004

Thge usual requirement is that you have to be in the hospital within 30 minutes, some are set at 20 minutes. When I lived 35 minutes from one of the hospitals, they provided a call room for me at the hospital. This was a good things as I was on the heart team and we almost always had a case during the nights that I had call.

kyti · Feb 11, 2004

our response time for OR is 20min. All circulators rotate call. On call approx 5 days per month every 7th weekend.

shodobe · Feb 12, 2004

We have a 30 minute response time, even a little more since we don't do c?sections anymore. Besides none of our surgeons are ever on time. One hospital I did work at years ago had a -----10 minute---- response time! Totally uncalled for. Most of the nurses lived 20-30 minutes away except for the two that lived close enough to throw rocks at their homes. Mike

Ferret · Mar 7, 2004

G'day All,

The hospitals I've worked for here have all had 30 min call times, and we were asked to stay at the hospital if we lived outside that area. Call rooms are provided.

poopsiebear · Mar 18, 2004

We have different level calls at my hospital . If I am 1st call, I need to be ready in 30 minutes after I get called in. If I am 2nd call, I get 45 minutes. We also have heart and liver calls and their time frames are a little different, depending on what procedures they are doing and/or when the organs will arrive for transplants.

carcha · Mar 19, 2004

yeah, ours is 20 minutes. Usually no problem but we've had occasions where we have arrived at the or to find surgeons, er nurses, patient all waiting for us to open up, no pressure, huh?

carcha · Mar 19, 2004

yeah, ours is 20 minutes. Usually no problem but we've had occasions where we have arrived at the or to find surgeons, er nurses, patient all waiting for us to open up, no pressure, huh?

mcmike55 · Mar 20, 2004

I know I have posted a bunch of newbie questions here, but I hope you don't mind two more!
A few hospitals I've spoken with re: OR positions said they have a policy that you must live within 30 minutes of the OR for when you are on call. Is this 30 minute radius standard for all OR's? Do all OR nursing staff go on call? Thanks!

To findingmyway. Here at our hospital in rural Ohio, we like to have our on call surgery staff 20 to 30 mins from the hospital. Our PACU nurses are allowed a bit more time than that. Recently, we hired a new scrub tech and a registered nurse (circulator) that live outside that range. We all agreed that if something really stat came in, one of us closer nurses would go in and get things started. Also we don't let the two of them be on call at the same time. The surgeons were also asked their opinion, and were ok with this arrangement. Hope that helps.

Mike

mcmike55 · Mar 20, 2004

I know I have posted a bunch of newbie questions here, but I hope you don't mind two more!
A few hospitals I've spoken with re: OR positions said they have a policy that you must live within 30 minutes of the OR for when you are on call. Is this 30 minute radius standard for all OR's? Do all OR nursing staff go on call? Thanks!

To findingmyway. Here at our hospital in rural Ohio, we like to have our on call surgery staff 20 to 30 mins from the hospital. Our PACU nurses are allowed a bit more time than that. Recently, we hired a new scrub tech and a registered nurse (circulator) that live outside that range. We all agreed that if something really stat came in, one of us closer nurses would go in and get things started. Also we don't let the two of them be on call at the same time. The surgeons were also asked their opinion, and were ok with this arrangement. Hope that helps.

Mike

infinity · Mar 20, 2004

30 years in nursing-27 in OR-always have had call and always had to be within 30 minutes of hospital. Dependant upon type of call (trauma and open heart may want faster response time)-size of hospital (larger hospitals tend to have at least 2 shifts, sometimes 3) also on the number of personnel taking call-obviously the less number of people, the more call YOU will need to cover.

Also have always had the option of asking for additional call-in personel, if needed; this is especially helpful in Triple A's.