Should one Nurse do all the Scrubing?

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Our ORs are staffed with RNs and NAs, and both sets are trained to scrub. Some of our older NAs don't scrub because they are not really covered to do so. However as some of the RNs go up the ladder and are occasionally in charge when assigned to an OR they don't want to scrub saying that they are senior leaving one person to take a full longgggggggggggggg list. Is this the norm?

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.
Our ORs are staffed with RNs and NAs, and both sets are trained to scrub. Some of our older NAs don't scrub because they are not really covered to do so. However as some of the RNs go up the ladder and are occasionally in charge when assigned to an OR they don't want to scrub saying that they are senior leaving one person to take a full longgggggggggggggg list. Is this the norm?

Curious what your NAs are? Also what do you mean by being "covered"? I like being the "senior" guy because then I can decide who is going to scrub. I like that especially because I can assign myself. It sounds like some of your "seniors" are getting a bit lazy because not wanting to scrub because you are senior is another way of saying, " I really am bored with this job and it is just another day in h@ll. It is nice that I can come to work and sit on my fanny all day and really not do anything". Scrubbing is a very important part of OR nursing and this subject has come up many times in the past. My only opinion, and it is kind of nasty, "Do it all or don't do it at all"! I know some hospitals don't give all their RNs the opputunity to scrub and that is very sad but in the real world scrubbing RNs will be a thing of the past. At least while I am still around I can pick the times, mostly, when I want to scrub or not. There are days I don't want to scrub and days where that's all I want to do. I think it is unfair of your "senior" staff to make one person do all the cases when they could at least spell them for a break or lunch. Mike

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Hi Mike out here NA means Nursing Assistant.Covered means that they r not legally suppose to do so, but are allowed to do so after being trained for a 6mth period.

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.
Hi Mike out here NA means Nursing Assistant.Covered means that they r not legally suppose to do so, but are allowed to do so after being trained for a 6mth period.

So in other words they are doing stuff, scrubbing, that they really shouldn't be doing? I know a different country with different rules. Are they like our Surgical Scrub techs? Mike

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