Surgical Nursing

TazziRN, RN · Mar 26, 2007

Depends on how you look at it. Yes, the floor experience would be invaluable, but then when you transfer to the OR you would still have to orient. With prior experience you would see what happens pre- and post-op, rather than just seeing pts on the table.

I went straight into the ER after school and while I love it, sometimes I regret not getting floor experience. I have no idea what maintenance phases of chronic disease processes look like because I only see the exacerbations.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 26, 2007

I am going to graduate nursing school the upcoming May. I plan to be a surgical nurse, I was wondering if it would be smarter of me to work and get a year experience on the floor or take a surgical orientation class straight into the OR. I dont know what would benifit me better?

Funny what's in a term: med-surg nurses on my unit are referred to as surgical nurses, as we specialize in the care of pre-op and post-op surgical patients!

Anyway, med-surg experience is required in many places prior to being OR staff; check into the requirements in facilities that interest you. My hospital requires that my unit specifically (rather than the other med-surgs) be the foundation of experience prior to OR (unless, of course, you have experience elsewhere in surgical care).

bill4745, RN · Mar 26, 2007

Get a year of med-surg or tele. If you so straight into OR and someday want to leave, you will not be very appealing to an employer if you don't have hands-on experience with caring for a group of patients.

Squaw · Mar 26, 2007

I graduated from nursing school in Sept. of last year and went straight into the OR. What a learning curve so far!! I was not taught that much in nursing school about the OR and have since learned a whole lot. We not only have the patient to take care of but we have equipment, surgeons, anesthesiologist, the different vendors and all of the supplies. After only being in there for about two months (only part time because of the off- campus orientation), I was asked to help with the IT part of the new intra-op computer charting. So, I am only in the OR 2 days a week and the orientation process has been long. After saying all of that, I am so blessed and happy to be able to have had the opportunity to go straight into surgical nursing from school.

mandana · Mar 27, 2007

I went straight into the OR from graduation and I adore it. I think that if you are 100% sure that you want to be in the OR and you have the opportunity to take a job, take the job. OR nursing is SO different than other types of nursing that I personally don't think the med-surg year is that necessary. Yes, it would help you with your assessment skills, but you'll develop that in the OR too, it will just be more specialized to the procedure.

I do see the point that it will make transferring elsewhere more challenging, but at present, I'm so thrilled and challenged with the OR that I'm not interested in going elsewhere. Plus, seeing how short staffed the floors are, I don't think it would be a challenge to get a job in med surg at any point in my nursing career, should I choose that.

Good luck,

Amanda

lily_lover · Mar 27, 2007

I have to agree with the last two posters, I went straight into the OR after graduation, and its been great so far. If that's the area you want to work in, then go for it! Not all hospitals require the requisite year in med-surg, so be sure to check around. Good luck to you!

tessa_RN · Mar 27, 2007

I went straight to the OR out of nursing school and I love it..I do not regret not having floor nurse experience..I plan on staying in the OR..I say if you want to be a OR nurse then go for it.......My clinicals were nothing like the OR...I love it because it is different

ddoosier · Mar 27, 2007

Go for it and follow your own intuition. I went straight into the ICU after graduation and have no regrets. I agree that obtaining floor experience is invaluable because you can benefit from enhancing your organization skills which is important anywhere you go. However, I knew that the ICU was my destiny, whereas, I was equally sure that the floor was not. That being said, if you can do floor nursing, you will survive in almost any speciality. I worked on the trauma unit as a student and I learned a lot.