shift preference? and pigeon-holed new grad?

ORoxyO · Apr 10, 2019

Congrats!

I've seen OR nurses leave to go to L&D, ED, NICU, and adult ICUs. It can definitely be done. Of course it will be another huge learning curve getting back into the floor groove but no different really than a new grad.

I dont have a problem with people going straight to the OR. Why do you need to solidify skills required to pass meds and care for 6 patients at a time when you wont be using those skills in the OR? It's completely different. The things from the floor that helped me most were foleys (my post op floor straight cathed a lot) and walking into a room having a conversation with strangers/small talk which I hate. Luckily your OR patients are only awake briefly. If you know you want OR and have the opportunity then go for it.

I find shift preferences vary by institution and culture. Where I am now, people beg for longer shifts but only a couple on afternoons have 3 12s. Most do 2 12s + 2 8s or 4 10s, 5 8s that way we get our 40. Previous places I worked were either almost all 12s or none at all. Those who do 5 8's pretty much always get out on time but then they are here more days which I think is annoying when weekends are involved. Those of us who do 4 10s (7-530) seem to get stuck the most. I've seen this happen at several places since its a weird mid- shift.

Personally, I love my 4 10s. The extra two hours are totally worth the another day off per week. 12s are too long for me, and I like routine so I'm not a huge fan of 2 12s + 2 8s. On the flip side, doing 2 12s +2 8s lets you avoid nasty 5pm traffic if thats a concern.

It really depends on you and what you like. Its great that you have options!

Polly Peptide, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Apr 10, 2019

5 hours ago, ORoxyO said:
Congrats!
...
I find shift preferences vary by institution and culture. Where I am now, people beg for longer shifts but only a couple on afternoons have 3 12s. Most do 2 12s + 2 8s or 4 10s, 5 8s that way we get our 40. Previous places I worked were either almost all 12s or none at all. Those who do 5 8's pretty much always get out on time but then they are here more days which I think is annoying when weekends are involved. Those of us who do 4 10s (7-530) seem to get stuck the most. I've seen this happen at several places since its a weird mid- shift.
Personally, I love my 4 10s. The extra two hours are totally worth the another day off per week. 12s are too long for me, and I like routine so I'm not a huge fan of 2 12s + 2 8s. On the flip side, doing 2 12s +2 8s lets you avoid nasty 5pm traffic if thats a concern.
It really depends on you and what you like. Its great that you have options!

Thank you so much!

I keep hearing - oh, once you go to the OR, you'll be stuck there. In some ways, I'm like...well, I also hear that many people who go to the OR don't WANT to leave. But also, I do think it's a bit of a myth that you can never leave. So I appreciate your words.

I am curious about the shift preference for the very reasons you mentioned. I wondered if one version tended to get held over more often...for example, if the 12s were more likely to leave on time. But I am also curious what a 12 hour day in the OR is like.

The manager I spoke with said that the 10 hour and 12 hour shifts are most popular, with the 10s by far being #1. I can understand not wanting to work 5 days a week. It's funny...this is a second career for me and all I've ever known is a 5 day work-week. However, I also had some flexibility IN the job. Like, if I needed to run out in the middle of the day to handle something, I could. No more with nursing.

One thing I'm struggling with is that the facility only schedules M-F. That's great for most people but it would be nice if I had some weekend opportunities for work due to my kids' needs. That makes me want to do the 12s even more...but again, I'm worried about how challenging that may be.

Call is only 24 hours every 8 weeks for the main OR. What I don't know is how it differs for specific service lines.

ETA-RN, ADN, RN · Apr 11, 2019

I'm not an RN yet. I'm in the 2nd semester of a two year ADN program. I have however been a radiologic technologist for 20 years. I still remember the first time I went into surgery (major regional teaching hospital) as a first year xray student. I was hooked. My goal is to be an OR circulator and first assist if possible. I hear a lot that Med/surg experience is necessary to have the organizational skills but it all depends on experience.

I say go for it if you have the opportunity presented to you. Having worked 8's and 12's I enjoyed 12's the most. If you can handle 10's what is two more hours?

Jeckrn1, ADN, BSN · Apr 11, 2019

The only problem going straight into the OR as a new grad is that you do not build up a foundation of skills which are needed to make nursing judgements. This might be only a small fraction of the skills you need but will make you a more rounded circulator. Also if you do not like the OR depending on where you live it can be hard to get out of there and work somewhere else.

MissM472, BSN · May 30, 2019

You have it made! M-F only!! I would do 12 hour shifts, 3 in a row M-T-Th or T-W-F, or M-T-W, then you can have 4 days off. Don't choose 8 hour shifts nor 10 hour shifts.

RickyRescueRN, BSN, RN · Jun 2, 2019

I was an ICU, Trauma & ED and Flight nurse for 22yrs and just started out in the OR, doing the PeriOp 101 course. So yes, you can totally do it; and that is the beauty of nursing. You will find a specialty to suit you in that period of your life and then can do something completely different when you so choose to. Just speaking to my OR colleagues I work with; it seems to be pretty common for many to come straight to the OR as a new grad and I can understand why. Contrary to what others might say, floor (med/surg, ICU) nursing does not really prepare you for the OR in terms of skills and tasks. The extra knowledge is beneficial , but I don't think essential for you to become a successful OR RN. Personally , I'd grab the 3 x12hr shifts if I could ; but right now I am doing 4x 10hr shifts. Best of luck in your new adventure .

RN1.618, BSN, RN · Jun 3, 2019

I will be starting the periop 101 program in a few weeks and I couldn't be more excited! I am a new RN grad. Initially, I was told by many of my peers that it would not be a good place to start for the same reasons you have mentioned in your post. I disagree with many of these reasons. At one point I did plan to start somewhere else with the hope of someday transitioning to the OR. Once I graduated I realized that was stupid! If my end goal was the OR anyway, why wait? I know I love the OR and all it entails and it seemed foolish to do something else just because of what others advised. Prior to being hired to the OR I worked as a tech in a level I trauma center. I am very grateful for all that I have learned from the job but while in school I was considering this ED if only for the experience and I was honestly dreading it. I give those RN's a lot of credit but, I see on a daily basis what they go through and I do not desire that kind of experience at this point in my life. I am 41 and I thrive on organization and team camaraderie. I also wanted a better schedule to suit my life with my family and the OR can deliver that. I will be starting on 4 10's M-F. My hours will be 11am-9:30pm. I was told that I could eventually switch to 3 12's which is the most desired at my facility. I was also informed that the 12hr shifts fly by for most depending on the specialty within the OR. On call is "mostly" taken by the on call team in my hospital. But I was told that there is always some available if desired and there is a certain amount that must be taken every four weeks or so. I hope this offers some insight. When I rotated through the OR I knew I belonged there. If it was the same for you, don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Good luck to you ?

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2019

I went from OR scrub tech to nurse and fresh out of school, I had the idea that I could launch myself into a surgical ICU job. After all, I “knew” aaalllll about surgery, right?? Yeah, okay. 3 months later, I was crawling back to my Nurse Manager asking for a circulator position. Over the last (too many) years I’ve dallied around at a few other things...ER (which was okay) another ICU (which was horrid) and some other moonlight type things but kept coming back to my first and only love....the OR. I should get the point by now.

Personally, I like 4 10s. My facility also schedules M-F and has a weekend team. I like that I weekday off for various appointments so I don’t have to skip out of work for them and I still have my weekend. Also if I’m going to be there 8 hrs, another 2 is nothing big. 12s, I don’t like because that 4 hours a week that you lose really puts a dent in the ol’ Paycheck.