OR Rotation

I was really looking forward to spending time in the OR today. Previously, I had observed a laparoscopic PEG tube placement, and that was pretty interesting. Today I observed a chemotherapy port placement and 1 ½ laparoscopic cholecystectomies. (I had to leave for post conference before the second was complete.) I was pretty disappointed during the port placement. Because of the x-ray use I had to be out of the room for much of the procedure. Also, it was a very tight fit for the necessary personnel who needed to be close to the patient, so I was kind of out of luck on this one. Next came the gallbladder removal. I had some idea of what was going to happen due to my previous OR observation. Indeed, the gallbladder is not a bright green color like it is in all of the text books. Having had this same procedure done myself a couple of years ago I was very curious as to how everything really happened. I am always amazed at how “simplistic” surgeries are when I see them. Everyone always thinks that operations are so complex, but really, surgeons are just “fancy people plumbers.” If you look through some basic home repair books and an anatomy textbook, you could probably have a pretty good idea as to what to do, where to go, and what to take out. Seeing as how there were two cholecystectomies today, I thought about asking if I could do the next one…. “See one, do one, teach one” right? Okay, maybe I am being a little simplistic here, but still, it seems pretty basic. Maybe good surgeons just make it look easy.

As far as my observation of the circulating nurse, I am pretty sure that position is not for me. I really like to be a bit more hands on. All of the charting that has to be done just does not sound like fun to me. I would much rather be assisting the physician or doing my own procedures. However, when my assigned RN went to lunch, she was replaced by another RN who said that she had always wanted to be an OR nurse. She started as a scrub tech and went directly into an RN program. She had never worked on med-surg and started after she graduated in the OR. It takes all kinds. I am really glad there are people like her who enjoy that aspect of nursing. As of right now, I am still pretty unsure of where I would like to end up some day.

All in all, today’s observation was a good experience. However, I am hoping for a little more blood on Thursday. Does that make me weird?

-DV