"No self- respecting nurse"

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I heard a conversation a surgeon and a new ST were having at the field one day while I was giving a lunch break. The tech was saying how she was probably going to nursing school, and that when she was an RN, she would only be a circulating nurse in the OR, not any other area. The surgeon replied: : "A circulator? Why would you want to do that?? No self respecting nurse would want to be a circulator. Why? to get yelled at by the managers that your not documenting enough? Be a real nurse, take care of patients"

I thought I liked this guy, too.... I just cant *not* be offended by this. Am I being too sensitive? Do surgeons in general look at us in the OR as not "real" nurses? I feel like telling every nurse I work with what he said, because everybody raves about how much they like working with him....

What do you guys think/feel if you heard this?

Specializes in ICU.
I once had a surgeon tell me I was simply a glorified waitress - run and fetch this, run and fetch that, etc.

You cannot be responsible for what some J--k thinks. Just do what is right for your patient. They are the ones were are ultimately there to "serve".

I would have had a giggle at that as a former waitress, retorts that come to mind are,"Well, at least I am highly paid waitress." Or if I was feeling particularly smart,"and you are a glorified carpenter." What a dumb comment that surgeon made.

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Specializes in CST in general surgery, LDRs, & podiatry.
i would have had a giggle at that as a former waitress, retorts that come to mind are,"well, at least i am highly paid waitress." or if i was feeling particularly smart,"and you are a glorified carpenter." what a dumb comment that surgeon made.

as a former "food service professional" myself - the first thing that comes to mind would be the phrase - "sorry - this is not my table!" impossible to put into effect of course, being at risk to the patient, but amusing nonetheless!! :D

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Specializes in NICU- now learning OR!.
hmmmmm, have to think on that for a moment....

I've worked on the floor and IMO I'm just as much a "real nurse" now as then.

Does this guy not realize they have to chart EVERYTHING on the floor also????

still thinking.........

I have to think too...because I came from an ICU situation...and compared to THAT job - I barely feel like a nurse anymore (ducking from flying objects!)

:chair:

We didn't have assistants where I worked, we did ALL patient care, of course ALL charting. ALL LAB DRAWS, Assessments, secured ET tubes, gave all meds, titrated drips, started IVs, on and on and on!

I LOVE the OR and feel that my job is VERY important, however, it really is nothing compared to what I used to do. No assessment (sure we still assess in our head...but not "officially") , no IVs, virtually no meds unless you count locals or abx irrigation....

Jenny

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

i have saved a many a doctors beeeeehind during counts. its' only when they have a problem that was saved that they are thankful that a "circulator" was there.:yeah:

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

oh I forgot--long years ago surgeon's were not respected--Barbers performed surgical procedures--that is why barber poles are white and red bands like surgical bandages. tell that well liked surgeon--he can always go back to shaving heads.:clown:

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I had the same type thing you're talking about happen to me today. As we were waiting at the clock for 1508:D today a sales rep was there to talk to one of the scrub techs. So casually she asked myself and another scrub tech were we both scrub nurses. The scrub tech says to her "I'm a scrub nurse, she's just a circulating nurse." JUST:angryfire?!?!?! I guess I'm JUST the person whose license you happen to work under everyday, huh? I didn't get mad though. I jokingly told her not to "just" me and we continued the conversation. I didn't feel the need to get all worked up because nobody ever told me that nursing was a glorious job. Plus I know what I do and I know that nobody in my room can do what they do without me!:D

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Specializes in CST in general surgery, LDRs, & podiatry.
i had the same type thing you're talking about happen to me today. as we were waiting at the clock for 1508:d today a sales rep was there to talk to one of the scrub techs. so casually she asked myself and another scrub tech were we both scrub nurses. the scrub tech says to her "i'm a scrub nurse, she's just a circulating nurse." just:angryfire?!?!?! i guess i'm just the person whose license you happen to work under everyday, huh? i didn't get mad though. i jokingly told her not to "just" me and we continued the conversation. i didn't feel the need to get all worked up because nobody ever told me that nursing was a glorious job. plus i know what i do and i know that nobody in my room can do what they do without me!:D

well - if she truly is a "scrub tech" then she was wrong on two counts. she's not a "nurse" of any kind, scrub or otherwise, and nobody in the hospital is "just" an anything.........shame on her! :nono:

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Yeah I wanted so bad to tell her that she's not any kind of nurse but no need to have my cases sabotaged tomorrow just for being right.:D

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when i read your post, my first thought was that perhaps the surgeon really maybe doesn't like that tech, and was thinking by saying that, then perhaps they would go work in a different area after they finish nursing school!

[color=#483d8b]now, i could be very wrong, of course. although i've been in an operating room as a patient, i've never worked in one before. i will say, that i sure did appreciate my nurses! i didn't even see the surgeon before or even after the surgery. seriously! i had a tubal ligation, and i was in and out of the hospital all in one day, but still. it was the nurses that checked on me, and helped me when i was in pain. it was the nurses who came and asked me if i was okay. and of course, it was again the nurses who explained how to take care of my incision (sp?), when to call the doctor if i needed to, and told me they hoped i heal quickly and i feel better soon.

[color=#483d8b]i've heard many times that surgeons can be very mean. just remember when they say and do nasty things, that you really are appreciated!!! :wink2:

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Specializes in or/trauma/teaching/geriatrics.

:crying2: No self-respecting surgeon would dare to say such a horendous thing ( unless he was trying to pick a fight ).

He/she doesn't really know what goes on in the OR.

what a shame. Maybe his med school did not actually follow a case from the very start until the patient was safely tucked away in a med/surg bed on the floor. This bozo :clown: could take a lesson from my surgeon friend that would mop the floors for us if need be. :up:

Honestly he needs to get some OR sensitivity training by following a circulator for just a day............................

it would be an eye opening experience:twocents:

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Specializes in or/trauma/teaching/geriatrics.
well - if she truly is a "scrub tech" then she was wrong on two counts. she's not a "nurse" of any kind, scrub or otherwise, and nobody in the hospital is "just" an anything.........shame on her! :nono:

that is a ditto from me................sometimes techs forget:banghead: (who butters the bread and ices their cake).

i have yet to see any scrub tech do a case without a circulator.

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that is a ditto from me................sometimes techs forget:banghead: (who butters the bread and ices their cake).

I have yet to see any scrub tech do a case without a circulator.

just remember..SOME hospitals have surgical techs in the OR, but they ALL have nurses :)

back to the Dr..OR, ICU, maternity, doesnt matter, they can be pompous

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