In December, I served on a medical mission trip to Honduras. I had the privilege of working alongside world-class surgeons and surgical teams from across the country. It was my first time traveling overseas on my own, it was my first time serving on a medical mission trip, and it was an incredible, humbling experience.… Read More Day 1 in the OR: Finding Perspective in a Chaotic Case
Happy Perioperative Nurses Week! I hope that you are having a great week, and that your facility actually remembered to celebrate you this week! π I’ve been an OR nurse for 12 years, and I absolutely love working in the OR. Since we’re celebrating this week, here are 12 reasons why I love working in… Read More 12 Reasons Why I Love the Operating Room
I have some exciting news to share with you!π€© I have been approved to serve on a surgical mission trip to Honduras through One World Surgery! I firmly believe in giving back, and the longer that I have worked in the operating room, the more I have felt called to give back by participating in… Read More Surgery with a Purpose: Bringing Healing and Hope to Honduras
A couple of weeks ago, I spent an incredible 5 days in San Antonio, Texas, attending the AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo. It was five days of learning, networking, making new friends, and seeing friends that I only get to connect with at the conference. There was a very marked difference between the attendance… Read More AORN Expo 2023 + 3 Ways You Can Afford to Attend
I haven’t written much here lately, have I? I’m spending more of my time writing on the First Case blog, but sometimes it’s nice to come back here and write what I’m thinking! And today, we’re chasing chickens… so join me! My thoughts today are rather disjointed, somewhat like the 19 energetic chicks that are… Read More Chasing Chickens & New OR Nurses
To tell you how The Circulating Life began, I have to go back to my first day in the operating room. It was November 7th, 2011, and I can remember it vividly. Although I considered myself an βexperiencedβ nurse, I was not prepared for how different the operating room environment was from the bedside and… Read More Back to the Beginning: How The Circulating Life Got Started
We’re all pretty familiar with the phrase, “the power of perfection,” or maybe, “the beauty of perfection,” but have you ever thought about the burden of perfection? It’s a strange, and somewhat depressing, thought. But in our world, it exists, and it’s something that’s so engrained in us as healthcare professionals, that I wonder if… Read More The Burden of Perfection – And How to Carry It
Welcome to 2022! It always feels like we come skidding into January, worn out by the workload and busyness of November and December. This year is definitely no different, although I think we’re just worn out. Period. The past couple of years have been the most challenging of our careers, and I’m somewhat skeptical of… Read More Looking to the Future in the Shadow of a Difficult Year
When I first started in the operating room, I had heard of surgical techs, but I didn’t know what their job actually involved. But, it only took me about 2 seconds to realize that scrub techs were a wealth of knowledge and experience, and if I was going to succeed in the OR, I was… Read More Happy Scrub Tech Week! +Giveaway!
This summer has been a whirlwind of hard work and change. I don’t like change. But I recognize that sometimes change can be a really good thing. I quit my job in June. I had been an Orthopedic Team Leader at my facility for almost 6 years, and it was the only job I’ve had… Read More Sad Goodbyes and Exciting New Beginnings