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....
Also remember... some hospitals have Scrub Techs as circulators and circulators overseeing three rooms.
This I illegal in most states according to state law and against jcaho standards which oversees hospitals and against asc standard. This MIGHT happen in the military on deployment when doubt multiple cases in the same surgery suite or in a non certified operating facility in one of 2-3 states that it is legal in but I have not personally met anyone that ha seem in first hand or done it.
I understand where you are coming from,, but if you look up the definition of a nurse, you will find that more people are nurses than you may have previously figured. However, a Registered Nurse is quite a different thing.
Nurse
1. somebody caring for patients: somebody trained to look after sick or injured people, especially somebody who works in a hospital or clinic, administering the care and treatment that a doctor prescribes
I disagree.... the title NURSE is a protected entity, it is illegal in many states to call yourself a nurse if you are not... and yes, that means even the ones "caring for, or trained to look after sick or injured people"
it chaps my ass when the tech introduces herself as "the scrub NURSE"..... and the sad part is, most of the surgeons dont even know the difference.
Although the insightful and thought out posts are somewhat refreshing and appreciated, I personally think that you have a lot to learn as an OR RN. You will soon ha e a license to lose when you mess up, you will have the burden to bear when you mess up. Being a scrub tech is great an I appreciate them but most don't understand that they will not be held liable in court and the will not be possibly stripped of their license, job, livelihood, 4 years of nursing school and the ability to continue in their career. Nurses can and do get sued an held liable for retained foreign objects, even with the surgeon not being liable. Techs have yet to be sued or held liable or stripped of their certificate for anything like this. Even if they were they could work as a tech. Once you lose your RN, your don't. I would also be done if I had a $500k suit brought against me.
I too was a scrub tech first and had a different perspective. At first.....
I work in a methadone clinic so I know all about people's biases towards nurses who don't work in traditional bedside nursing positions. Thick skin is what I recommend. Why should you care about what some surgeon thinks a "proper" nurse should do? Does he sign your paycheck?
All you need to worry about is if you feel that you're doing useful work and that you're doing your job to the best of your abilities. Also, hello...Earth to clueless surgeon, circulating is taking care of the patient...he can't do his job safely without you!
I have to thank everyone who contributed to this thread, you have cleared up a question for me!
I live in South Africa; we do not have Scrub Technicians.
Nurses who have graduated may apply to do a post-basic course called Theatre Technique. On completion they are qualified Scrub Nurses.
We used to have a course in theatre technique for Staff Nurses (I think the equivalent rank is LVN) and some of the best scrub nurses I know are, in fact, staff nurses. I believe the course has been discontinued, which is a pity.
Fascinating that nurses do not scrub in your country!
Thick skin is what I recommend. Why should you care about what some surgeon thinks a "proper" nurse should do? Does he sign your paycheck? 
Argo
1,221 Posts
This I illegal in most states according to state law and against jcaho standards which oversees hospitals and against asc standard. This MIGHT happen in the military on deployment when doubt multiple cases in the same surgery suite or in a non certified operating facility in one of 2-3 states that it is legal in but I have not personally met anyone that ha seem in first hand or done it.