recommend going STRAIGHT to OR (residency)?

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2009

Plenty of people go straight to the OR after school and do well. And even if you decide you don't like it, it is possible to go to other areas..I've known 2 nurses who have done this..most people end up staying in the OR though.

Is there a way you could observe for a day or shadow someone? This can be a good idea when you've had no previous experience, or exposure to the OR.

KayceeCA · Jan 22, 2009

I went straight to the OR from nursing school and I've never regretted it. Sure, I couldn't go to a med/surg floor or ICU now and feel comfortable, but I don't want to to do that anyway. I worked as a nurse extern in the OR while I was still in nursing school, so I knew that OR nursing was what I wanted to do. I would be hesitant to recommend that someone who has no OR experience go straight to the OR from nursing school because it really is different than any other kind of nursing. But if you're sure the OR is where you want to be (like I was) I don't see why you should waste time doing something else first.

rnicare · Jan 22, 2009

I would recommend working for at least a year on a med/surg floor in order to build your skills. I have worked in the OR also and loved it. I feel that getting the experience on the units reinforces what you have learned in school. OR nursing is different as you are dealing usually with one patient at a time in your OR suite. If you get a experience on a med/surg floor or ICU you will always have that experience to fall back on if you find you don't like OR nursing. I worked with surgical technicians who went to nursing school and once graduated decided they needed to get more experience with floor nursing or ICU in order to better their skills and obtain organizational skills to care for many patients at one time. They really wanted to be able to have more options if they decided to move to another specialty. On the other hand I worked with surgical techs that graduated from nursing school and had no desire to work on the other units and wanted to stay in the OR. It is really based on what you want to do. If you are not sure if OR nursing is for you, I would opt to get more experience.

linda2097 · Jan 22, 2009

Med surg is not required, but it will make you a better O.R. nurse.

$fracturenurse$ · Jan 22, 2009

I don't know...I knew in nursing school I wanted to work in the OR. However I listened to my instructors and did a year or so on Med/Surg before moving on. I have never, ever regretted that time on that floor. Would I ever go back and do it again? Heck, no! But, what I learned there I have taken with me in every job I have had. So, I guess in a nutshell, I'm telling you to do a year of Med/Surg...Remember though, that's just my opinion.

I wish you lots of luck!!!

Editorial Team / Admin · Jan 23, 2009

I went straight to the OR out of nursing school, and I've never looked back. I'm sure I missed out on learning/reinforcing skills (I've never started an IV except in school), but I know that I would have been so miserable that I would most likely have become so burned out and maybe even left nursing altogether. Most people who go into OR nursing become OR nurses for life, and I'm sure I'll be one of them.

My advice to you would be to look inside yourself, and find out what it truly is you want to do. Shadow a nurse for a day or two, and see what it's really like. It's not all good, but it's definitely not all bad.