Crazy things you experience as a nurse in Surgery
Crazy things you experience as a nurse in Surgery
In the operating room, there’s a lot of stuff that might seem weird to someone outside the OR, but to us, it's just another day at work. One of the first things people notice is how cold it is in there! It’s freezing! So, we bundle up in blankets to keep warm. You’d think we’d be used to it after all these years, but nope, the cold never gets old, so those blankets become our best friend during long surgeries.
Another thing that might make people raise an eyebrow is the mini portable phones we use. They honestly look like toy phones, and we carry them around to call each other. They don’t win any design awards, but they get the job done when we need to quickly contact someone across the room.
We also become masters of non-verbal communication. With our masks and caps on, it’s not like we can talk as easily as we’d like. So, we’ve become experts at speaking with our eyes. A quick look can say everything—whether we’re asking if someone needs help or just giving a quick “we got this” to a teammate.
And those scrub caps? Life savers. We wear them all day, every day. They’re not just part of the uniform; they’re a shortcut to not having to think about our hair. It’s a constant worry when you’re on your feet for hours, so those caps make it one less thing to stress over.
If you’ve ever seen us in action, you might notice we can get a little... careless when we’re in a rush. Sometimes, we’ll throw things on the ground, whether it’s a scalpel or a clamp, if we’re in the middle of something intense and need to keep moving. It’s just part of the flow; no time to pick it up when the moment’s important!
Music? Oh, yeah, we listen to music all day, every day. It’s our rhythm in the OR. Whether it’s a playlist to get us hyped or just some calming tunes to keep things smooth, it keeps the energy up and helps us focus.
And lastly, by the end of the day, our shoes tell the story of the job. Blood, prepping agents, who knows what else—we’ve all got stains on our work shoes. It’s just a sign of the hard work we’ve done. You don’t even think about it after a while; it’s just part of the deal.
So, while all of this might seem "not-so-normal" to someone on the outside, to us in the OR, it’s just another day doing what we do best.
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Beyond the daily quirks like freezing operating rooms and secret 'toy phones,' life as an OR nurse is profoundly centered on patient safety and teamwork. One of the most critical steps, far more serious than debating the best colorful scrub cap, is the 'time out' procedure. Before any incision, the entire surgical team pauses. We confirm the patient's identity, the surgical site, and the procedure. This 'time out operation' is a non-negotiable safety step, ensuring absolute focus and alignment, truly setting the stage for a successful outcome. The operating room isn't just about the surgeon and the nurse in blue scrubs. It's a symphony of professionals. We work hand-in-hand with surgical technologists, often the unsung heroes who anticipate needs and manage instruments. The expertise of the whole team, including what some might call 'nurse technologists' for their technical prowess, is what makes the OR function seamlessly. Patient positioning is another area demanding meticulous attention. Consider the lithotomy position, crucial for many gynecological or urological procedures. It’s not merely about placing the patient; it's about ensuring comfort, preventing nerve damage, and maintaining dignity. Every adjustment, every pillow, is placed with precision, reflecting the principles seen on any 'patient check-in process' poster. Post-procedure, our care continues. Monitoring recovery, meticulously checking an 'operation bandage on stomach real' after certain abdominal surgeries, and providing detailed wound care are paramount. You’ll often find me, in my light pink athletic shoes – which, yes, get quite worn and stained from all the walking on the speckled floor – inspecting a dressing or explaining post-op instructions. The same goes for dealing with those unexpected moments. While we don't use terms like 'evil surgery,' we certainly face challenging cases where quick thinking and seamless communication, often through a glance over a surgical mask, are vital. It's in these moments that our training and teamwork truly shine, sometimes fueled by a calming Spotify playlist like "SZA Radio" with surgical equipment blurred in the background. If I had to offer an 'operating room quote' that sums up our profession, it would be: 'Expect the unexpected, prepare for anything, and always put the patient first.' It encapsulates the spirit of OR nursing, a world where even a cream blanket or a tiny green frog charm can bring a moment of comfort amidst the intensity.
Currently taking prerequisites for nursing! Any tips? Also how did you decide on OR?