2020 has been anything but normal, hasn’t it? “Normal” seems to be a thing of the past, and it seems that every day presents new challenges and new changes to the ways that we care for our patients. We’ve dealt with frequent policy changes, reassignments (sometimes without adequate training), inadequate PPE, constant supply shortages, and… Read More You Must Make Yourself a Priority
Happy Perioperative Nurses’ Week! I hope that this has been a week full of recognition and appreciation for all of your hard work and dedication. In honor of the unique nature of our jobs, I’ve written a lighthearted poem about O.R. nurses. I chose to write it in the style of Dr. Seuess – since… Read More Happy Perioperative Nurses’ Week!
Orientation in the Operating Room (OR) is tough. There’s no other way to put it. The days are hard and the environment is overwhelming. You can be reduced to tears without warning due to frustration, anxiety, fear, attitudes of others, or just the sheer amount of information you’re expected to take in. And in such… Read More How to Survive an Intense Orientation in the OR
How well we manage our time in the O.R. will ultimately determine the entire surgical experience for our patients, for our surgeons, and for ourselves. … Read More Keeping Time in Perspective in the O.R.
I finally broke down and had surgery to relieve my pain from plantar fasciitis. It’s been an experience!… Read More Plantar Fasciitis, Surgery, and Recovery
I currently live in Alabama. And for registered nurses across our state, this is the year to renew our licenses. Fees and continuing education credits are due by the end of the year in order to be renewed for the next two years. If you also live in Alabama, consider this a friendly reminder! If… Read More Continuing Education for O.R. Nurses
When the World Health Organization announced that 2020 would be “the year of the nurse,” I don’t think anyone could have foreseen just how fitting that declaration would become. The year of the nurse was intended to be a celebratory one – a year that focused on the great contribution made by Florence Nightingale to… Read More The Year of the Nurse
What does patient care look like in the OR? I’ve written before about patient care, and how different patient care is in the OR compared to other nursing specialties. But today, I want to look at patient care from a slightly different angle, and take a closer look at how we treat, or should treat,… Read More The Impartiality of the Operating Table
In the Operating Room (OR), the shifts leading up to a major holiday are equivalent to working night shift during a full moon – every shift, every day. The days are crazy and the nights are long. Add to that the mad December rush to get all surgeries in before the end of the year… Read More Christmas Eve in the OR
Ah…The Christmas season is upon us. Christmastime brings lights, decorations, and the hustle and bustle of shopping to find just the right gift for everyone on our lists. And all the while holiday parties, church services, and school performances are competing for our time and attention. And in a sad twist of coincidence, it’s also… Read More The Christmas Season in the O.R.