What does surgry nurse do!!!

[esthomprn]

I was just wondering what exactly does a surgery nurse do in the operating room? I was told by some nurses that they lose there skills because they don't do assessments, start IV's, or critically think. I only went to surgery once in nursing school so I don't know exactly what they do.

[EmergencyNrse]

Count sponges...

Come th the ER. We have fun.

The Emergency Room is where you want to be.

[lily_lover]

Hey now,

we don't just count sponges!!! there's needles too, and don't forget answering the doctors pages...:chuckle

[KeyMaster]

Surgery nurses most assuredly perform assessments on their patients, but in a different way from the floor. Yes, we use critical thinking skills, too. And start IVs - but not as often as a med-surg nurse. Our patients are sedated or unconscious - they cannot tell us anything - we are 100% responsible for being that patient's advocate. We document the procedure, communicate with the family, tend to anesthesia's needs, ensure that the patient is positioned properly so there is a decreased chance of breakdown or nerve damage, co-ordinate with lab/blood bank as needed, scrub to pass instruments or assist the MD or hold a retractor - and count sponges. And we count instruments, knife blades, electrocautery tips, needles, hypos, and anything else that could potentially be left in a patient. We count all of this stuff before the case, when the MD begins to close and again as the closure is complete.

There are different specialty areas in the OR: ortho, neuro, cardiovascular-thoracic, urology, gyn, EENT, plastics/reconstructive & general. Each area is unique and each procedure in that area requires different skills, actions and nursing knowledge. OR nurses are expected to know how to function adequately in each area, but most also have a specialty area that they usually work in. Orientation to the OR is typically 6 months with a preceptor, but can be extended until that nurse can effectively circulate alone, because for the vast majority of procedures there is only one RN in a room.

Sorry this is long & winded, but I am proud to be an OR nurse. I want to scream every time I hear that OR nurses aren't REALLY nurses or don't use any nursing skills.

[RNperdiem, RN]

OR nurses show you no mercy if the consent is not correctly filled out, or if the site to be operated has not been marked by the MD. :0

[patrick.gines]

I want to experience both fields when i graduate next year .

[SewHeather]

Sorry this is long & winded, but I am proud to be an OR nurse. I want to scream every time I hear that OR nurses aren't REALLY nurses or don't use any nursing skills.

I'm an L&D nurse and I hear that alot;" Labor nurses aren't real nurses". My favorite part of being a labor RN is circulating for cesarean sections. Been thinking of making the jump to the OR since I like it so much.

[Vito Andolini]

Check out AORN's web site. Association of periOperative Registered Nurses.

Glad you inquired and best wishes.

look up malignant hyperthermia, anesthesia complications, time out

I once heard an Instructor say that a monkey could scrub and her grandmother could circulate. Maybe, maybe a monkey could scrub if there were never any problems or emergencies or surprises. Maybe. Please don't anyone take offense or read only part of what I wrote.

A grandma can certainly circulate if she's a nurse. Although I have seen experienced techs do a great job circulating. At any rate, training and experience and bringing a nurse's education to the OR are very important to keep patients safe.

Peri-Operative = pre-op, post-op, and during the surgery