Surgical tech to OR nurse

Editorial Team / Admin · Jan 29, 2015

I've never made the change from ST to OR RN, but I did enter the OR as a new grad nurse. It did take time to learn how to circulate, especially with some of the cases that involved a lot of equipment that I had to learn. As a previous ST, you will already know the names of instruments and what they look like, making running for extra supplies in the middle of a case a bit easier- plus you'll know what you're looking at when it comes to counting. You are already familiar with the OR environment and know about maintaining sterile fields (can't even begin to tell you about the number of new nurses who had never previously set foot in an OR who I had to physically stop because they weren't paying attention to where they were in relation to the sterile instrument table and nearly backed into it). So generally, while your ST experience may not help with RN only duties (such as documentation), it will help in general. As a plus, with scrub experience you may be more marketable as you could fill in when scrub personnel are short.

If you're looking for tips, look for some of my other posts and threads from new OR nurses throughout the OR forum- you'll find not only what I found helpful but also tips from other posters.

LAM2010, BSN · Jan 30, 2015

I was a circulator straight out of nursing school. You've got half your experience already...lol. Documentation, to me, is kind of the easiest part, because that will be the same for every case (the format). You will have to multitask a lot more. Anyway, I would have loved to have the scrub tech experience when I was starting out. - It can only be good!

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jan 31, 2015

I too am a scrub tech who just graduated from nursing school. I have started learning the role of the circulator and don't find it that difficult. I'm mainly just having to learn the chart and the little picky things. I think what helps me is that I already know the procedures, I have great relationships with our surgeons, and I have fantastic coworkers who are helping me along the new role. I also know sterile technique and what's needed for specific cases. That being said, I can't IMAGINE how overwhelming it would be coming straight out of school and into the OR. It can be an overwhelming place if you are brand new. I think you will be fine. Give yourself some time and know that you will make mistakes. The other day I was about to prep and rested my hands under my chest because I do that all the time scrubbed in. Whoops! I just laughed and changed gloves. Good luck!!

cmj806 · Feb 16, 2015

I am a surgical technologist and a first year nursing student! Was glad to come across this post! :)

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Mar 20, 2015

Generally, it will make it easier. Just make sure you get what you need for orientation- don't let anyone shortchange you. That happened to me a few times. I got put into cases alone that no new OR nurse should be doing solo-even if they were a former tech. Thankfully, both the patients and I survived ,lol. Also, some of the charge nurses would try to pull me for scrub lunch reliefs when I was buddy circulating a case that I needed under my belt as a circulator.

In short, you advocate for yourself and your learning process.

MedMayhem · May 4, 2015

I mainly scrubbed when I started in the OR and am orienting to circulating soon. A lot of techs have told me that it'll be easier since I have so much scrubbing experience and some have even said their best nurses are the ones who scrub. So there you go! From what I've seen with newer nurses and from my own experience, it's easier to anticipate and understand the needs of the doctor/case when you know what's happening up there and how things are used.

SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP · May 9, 2015

It was an easy transition for me. your prior knowledge helps so much and understanding the scrub role is huge especially if you work at a facility that doesn't have nurses scrubbing.