Stupid little mistakes....

[RNOTODAY]

I am still learning to circulate, and my orientation is going so so at best. Everybody at work, who have been there a long time say my orientation is really really bad. But, I have nothing to compare it to, so I dont know. I will say, there is NO consistency. I am being taught by travelers, I am with a different person every day.We do everything, so its a little hard to be proficient at one thing, and I dont think there is one procedure that I have seen even twice, or 3 times, and I have been there 6 months.

Right now I know basic things, but I am still struggling with what trays we need for cases ( we have reprocessing "issues" to complicate things further) , and basically, if I am with someone that makes me nervous, I forget stupid little things, like forgetting to hook up suction right away, or forgetting to chart something I know I need to chart. Does this go away with time? Sometimes I feel so inept!!! Did anybody feel like this when they first started? Did anybody else forget stupid things that they knew they needed to do?

And, sometimes, I get so task oriented, because I have to learn everything WHILE I AM USING it in a case, I get focused on that and if the surgeon asks for something I dont hear it, well, you get the picture... please, some words of wisdom....

I have done ER, ICU, and thus far this has been the toughest for me, and I dont know why. Thanks guys!!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

And positioning, some like gel pads, some say gel pads cant touch bare skin so they pad the gel pads with blankets.........:uhoh21:

We cover our gel pads (sheets or pillowcases), so they're easier to clean (DuraPrep sticks to them easil, but rubbing alcohol takes that off.)

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

We cover our gel pads (sheets or pillowcases), so they're easier to clean (DuraPrep sticks to them easil, but rubbing alcohol takes that off.)

well, we dont even use Duraprep, so the covering or non covering has no basis thus far!!! lol

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

DuraPrep or Chlorprep, either one is like glue on a gel pad.

[CuttingEdgeRN]

.....and I really hate it when I know I need to do something, but I am just about to do it, and they chime right in and tell me that I need to do it, and I feel like yelling ... " I KNOW, GIVE ME A CHANCE!!!!!

After reading these posts, I have been very aware of my interns needs! I made it a point today to "back off" and gave her a chance to ground the patient, help with positioning, start prepping, ect. I bit my tongue and never once said, "NOW you need to...." It was tough though! lol We are so used to moving fast in our own little routine. When the day ended, she did have a big smile on her face and said it was one of her best days yet! So keep the stories coming, you are at least helping the interns at my facility!

An old OR nurse that's listening

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

After reading these posts, I have been very aware of my interns needs! I made it a point today to "back off" and gave her a chance to ground the patient, help with positioning, start prepping, ect. I bit my tongue and never once said, "NOW you need to...." It was tough though! lol We are so used to moving fast in our own little routine. When the day ended, she did have a big smile on her face and said it was one of her best days yet! So keep the stories coming, you are at least helping the interns at my facility!

An old OR nurse that's listening

Well glad to help, cuttingedge!!! :wink2: Seriously, I can kind of understand how hard it must be to let "us" do our own thing while learning, but there must be a middle ground!!! lol If I can ask, how is the orientation at your facility? How many weeks in each service? scrub too? Do the orientees get to be with the same person ?

[CuttingEdgeRN]

I believe the internship is 6 months. This is for a new surgery nurse with no prior OR experience. We have an OR nurse educator that starts them out in class. Reading manuals and doing online courses. They spend a week or so in the instrument room. They have classes on sterile technique and gowning and gloving. They spend a month or so double scrubbing, usually just in general cases, to get the general idea. (sadly, the RN's rarely get to scrub here) Then they get a month or so circulating in each specialty: general/bariatric/urology, ent/dental/plastics, ortho/neuro,eyes,CV. They are usually not with the same person all the time, but the educator does try. It is just not possible a lot of the time. The educator makes their assignments every morning herself. She is free to check with them throughout the day. We have 24 operating rooms here, so always a lot going on.

[debbieuk]

i am also the same . my pet hate is not only the inconsistancy of what your taught but when your finally getting to grips with a proceedure and you are just about to pass something and the senior nurse pipes up ' dont forget the such and such' or 'he'll need so and so next' I KNOW. i just am not as fast as you. people say to me be more assertive it is your case but these people have 20 plus years experience and i have 9 months and have just finished orientation.

i was told yesterday that i have learnt to swear with my eyes..... so i guess i am getting there

debbie

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

just about to pass something and the senior nurse pipes up ' don't forget the such and such' or 'he'll need so and so next' I KNOW.

I had someone that was acting like this to me a month ago, and after the case, i said " Am i doing something that's indicating that indicates that i don't know what i'm doing? Because, quite honestly, your constant reminders are making it look as though it's my first day of ever working with this surgeon, yet i've been here for over 2 years, and the surgeon probably thinks that he's got incompetent people helping him." She didn't say anything after that, just literally stuck her nose in the sir and walked off.

[nurseinlimbo]

I can totally relate to you. I recently graduated from a periop program that I received a bursary for. Had to sign a return of service agreement for 24 months of employment in order to repay the bursary. It has been nothing but trouble. I am sick from the stress of it all, recently started on anti-depressants because I wasn't sleeping at night thinking about what was coming the next day.

I have been with different people every day as well, and in different areas all the time. There is one female surgeon who has a special hate on for me and literally rolls her eyes if I come in the room. The nurses report me daily for every little thing (helping the housekeepers, going to computer chart too soon, prepping wrong, draping wrong, counting at the wrong time). One staff tells me one way, the other a totally different way. None of them tell me what I've done wrong, I just get hauled into the managers office on a weekly basis.

I've tried asserting myself, but lately they've done so much damage that what little bit of confidence I had managed to attain in general surgery is now gone. The surgeons and anesthetists for the most part are fine, it's the nurses who are awful.

I am thinking of quitting, called in sick today because I just can't face another minute in there. I am thinking that it would be well worth it to buy my way out and repay them. Who needs it? not me.

[IsseyM]

I can totally relate to you. I recently graduated from a periop program that I received a bursary for. Had to sign a return of service agreement for 24 months of employment in order to repay the bursary. It has been nothing but trouble. I am sick from the stress of it all, recently started on anti-depressants because I wasn't sleeping at night thinking about what was coming the next day.

I have been with different people every day as well, and in different areas all the time. There is one female surgeon who has a special hate on for me and literally rolls her eyes if I come in the room. The nurses report me daily for every little thing (helping the housekeepers, going to computer chart too soon, prepping wrong, draping wrong, counting at the wrong time). One staff tells me one way, the other a totally different way. None of them tell me what I've done wrong, I just get hauled into the managers office on a weekly basis.

I've tried asserting myself, but lately they've done so much damage that what little bit of confidence I had managed to attain in general surgery is now gone. The surgeons and anesthetists for the most part are fine, it's the nurses who are awful.

I am thinking of quitting, called in sick today because I just can't face another minute in there. I am thinking that it would be well worth it to buy my way out and repay them. Who needs it? not me.

Hi Nurseinlimbo. I am truely very sorry you are going through all of this. This is horrible. Awful! and it makes me so sad to read your experiences. I'm in the peri-op training program and will be on my own in February. Stories like yours scare the crap out of me. Like you i'm starting to dread getting up in the morning, thinking about calling in sick because i don't know if i'm going to have a nice preceptor or a mean preceptor. Who will i piss off today, who is going to yell at me? Sad isn't it? New nurses have little confidence to begin with and its so hard when you work with people who can be downright mean, evil and nasty. You would think OR nurses would be more supportive because they're only dealing with one patient at a time vs med/surg or critical care nurses deal with 2-12 patients at a time. NOT! And for some reason i find that many OR nurses do not like to teach or precept, especially the peri-op 101 orientees. I have heard many complaints from my fellow classmates and a few are thinking about quitting even though we have a 24 month contract like you. I still have doubts about the OR but i'm going to hang in there a wee bit longer to see how it goes besides i like to challenge myself.

I wish i could give you advice but i'm not so sure what i would do if i was exactly in your shoes. I've been told many times that it takes a year or two before you're comfortable. Many start out hating it but end up loving it and can't imagine doing any other type of nursing. I really hope this works out for you and that things will get better for you. Take care.

IsseyM

[brainnurse]

Nurseinlimbo........

I finally got out after 25 years, but I don't know how badly my soul was damaged by the abuse. Fer Chrissake, who else in your circle of friends goes to work every day and get's yelled at, demeaned, belittled, maybe something thrown at them, and then has to go listen to an anonymous litany of complaints from the manager. And we keep going back everyday for this? For what??

Okay....it's because the work is fascinating. The skills are special and the achievements are rewarding. I loved the work, and if I never had to leave the Mayo stand.....But, you do, and the people are mean, and competetive, and respond to stress by abusing each other. Someone else said she can't stand to eat in the breakroom, because it is so unpleasant.

I do hospice admissions now. It is a different world. I drive around and visit a couple of patients a day. No managers, no cow-workers. Nobody ever yells or pressures me....they are happy to see me. They actually smile!! Not as much $$, but 99% less stress. I am learning to value myself by a different currency now.

Feeling sick about going to work is not okay, and the only way you will be able to do it is to destroy that part of yourself that cares what happens to you. The damage to your self esteem will be immeasurable. I hope it doesn't take you 25 years to figure this out.

Ro

[prismlight]

Need to start with a good perioperative nurse program.OR nurse educators should take an active role in educating new nurses.

It takes about 16 weeks of didactic and practical exposure to different surgical specialties to be able to function and learn the basics of OR.

The best way to learn OR is to read the type of surgeries you are going to do,know the preferences of the surgeons and ask questions to the senior staff prior to the procedure. This might be too much but if you don't do this then you are like a robot and no self satisfaction.

Education,motivation,encouragement & experience=self improvement might lead to job satisfaction.