On October 3, 2012 I was scheduled to job shadow in the operating room at Cary Medical Center in Caribou, Maine. The RN that I followed around was Jim Flavin. He has been a nurse for 30 plus years. His knowledge and willingness to show me around the operating room was very beneficial to me and has definitely confirmed that being in the operating room is where I would like to work once I have received my BSN in 2015. Being a nurse in the operating room has always been a dream to me, but after job shadowing, I am completely ready to give my 100% all into making my dream become reality.
As I mentioned before, Jim has been in the OR for 30 plus years. Jim was very eager to answer questions that I may have had and explained things thoroughly. I was very impressed how he handled each different situation in the same calming manor. We also had a new nurse with us and he seemed to be very thankful he had the extra help he did as things got a bit hectic. I went into three different operations and each time Jim had everything prepared with setting up everything that the doctor would need during the procedure.
I always thought that the doctor worked hand and hand with the surgical technician, when indeed the nurse plays a vital role in the whole operation not just the setup. The nurse is definitely the backbone as for setting up and getting the proper things ready for each operation. While in the OR, our first patient was going to be put completely asleep. After talking with the anesthesiologist, they decided based on his bad lung history that a spinal was the best for the patient.
There was some miscommunication between the doctor and the nurse and the anesthesiologist so when the doctor came in the room before the surgery, Jim had explained the confusion and told the doctor that the patient was indeed going to have a spinal instead. Miscommunication does happen in life, it is a natural part, however; miscommunication should be eliminated as much as possible in the nursing profession. Jim talking with the other nurses’, patient and anesthesiologist settled all this confusion and shortly after, the procedure took place with no problems. I learned that the role of and RN is indeed critical.
Sometimes bigger things are overlooked by the doctors as weird as that may sound, but always pay close attention and know exactly what is going on an involve others around you. Work as a team and not just by yourself. As for the spiritual and cultural issues that I encountered while in the operating room, there wasn’t a whole lot. Once the patient came into the operating room, and depending on their procedures, depended on how the patient was made comfortable and by the time they were brought they had already been given medication to make them relax so that it was hard to judge.
All the people who worked in the operating room worked great as a team. Everyone involved in the procedure had their own specific roles, they communicated verbally along with some written information confirming certain things (time outs, medication, and the patients name and procedure happening). Jim along with the other 4 nurses we worked well together. They have a great name to the nursing team in the OR at Cary. One of our patients’ was “challenged”. There was a lot more explain and reassuring him that took place before the anesthesiologist he was able to make him comfortable and him to sleep before his operation.
Throughout the time while the anesthesiologist was trying to put him asleep, Jim was right there beside him holding his hand, communicating with him and letting him know that he was not alone and that he (Jim) would be with him the whole time during the procedure. I have been that patient who is scared and knowing that someone who cares about you helps you deal with having to have an operation. I am sure Jim doing this definitely comforted the patient. Another operation I was part of was the removal of a kidney stone in young female being removed through a laser.
Jim explained what was going to happen and what we needed to do. Along with a hair cover, and booties, we needed an x-ray jacket and x-ray thyroid cover as well. Goggles were necessary to. Jim explained what I would see on the computer monitor when the doctor was doing the procedure. Everything he said was very precise and the operation was quick and simple. Before watching this whole procedure, I would have never known that we the nurses would have needed all the x-ray coverings to wear.
I assumed that the laser was in the patient so it would not be harmful to the people on the outside, which I was completely wrong. One example of nursing ethics that was apparent to me was when the first patient came into the OR, after having spinal before his tumor was removed. With other medication to go along with the spinal, he did indeed sleep most of the time. Jim explained to me that even though the patient looks like he is sleeping, he may still very well be able to hear everything that is going on around him. He may or may not remember this when he is woke up.
Treat the patient as if he was awake. Explain what is happening (to a certain extent), check with him throughout the surgery to make sure he is okay (even though he may not answer), and then when he is waken up, keep reiterating that the operation is over and it is time to wake up. The patient is always number 1 no matter what state their mind is in. The kinds of communication mostly used in OR were verbal. Jim would ask things as the other nurses would ask him questions back confirming that they were all on the same page. Making sure all the information they have was correct.
After the first operation, which was the removal of a large tumor like I explained in the previous paragraph, because it was an incision surgery, they were to count all the tools after to make sure that everything that they started with is counted for. This communication was both verbal and written. The most important thing that I took from this experience is the key role that RN’s play really in any nursing situation. Being in the operating room was an amazing experience and I am so glad I had a chance to job shadow it. I learned a lot of knowledge that I will be able to carry with me throughout my nursing career.
I am eager to get further into the nursing program, and be able to experience more events like this. It was hard just standing back and watching, when part of me felt like I wanted to help the nurses’ out but, I do understand I am just beginning as a nursing student and there is many more things I need to learn before this can happen. I am sure that the operating room is where I would like to be in my nursing career. I am glad this was a project for school because it gave me confirmation that this indeed is what I want my career to be.