• 1

Life in the operating room can be extremely hectic, and things happen at a breakneck pace sometimes. Since administrators are not generally involved with OR operations on a day-to-day basis, they may not have a good understanding of the pace and the stress involved with everyday life in the OR.

Surgical nurses, however, are very aware of the issues. Here is a description of some of the major issues which surgical nurses wish that hospital administrators were better acquainted with, so some of the stress might be relieved, and so operations could be more efficient.

Why can’t the back table system be more organized? 

Without good organization on the OR back table, it can be very frustrating trying to locate the proper tools or implements in a short period of time. Given the fact that things happen so fast in this setting, time is of the essence, and an organized back table can be extremely important. The best solution on the market today is the DinamicOR Back Table Solution because it allows for virtually all implements to be visible and easily reachable. This increases efficiency and reduces anxiety when tools are needed quickly. This solution consists of the adjustable back table, a durable drape covering, and the DinamicOR+ Workflow Management App, all of which help to achieve maximum OR organization.

Most nurses work really long shifts

A great many patients in each hospital require round-the-clock care, and that means nurses must be available for all 24 hours. Individual nurses will generally work in shifts that cover 10 or 12 hours, and most of that time they’re on their feet. Life in the OR is even more hectic for a nurse because they must constantly be alert to all the details of procedures, and of requirements imposed on them by doctors. Most nurses wish that administrators had a better understanding of the requirements of their jobs, and the difficulty of living up to expectations.

Nurses care about their jobs and their patients

Even though nursing care can be extremely challenging, especially in an operating room, most nurses love their job and truly care for their patients. Many of these individuals are motivated by a desire to help people, and to do what they can to help patients achieve a better state of health. Some administrators have the mistaken notion that nurses are simply satisfying the requirements of their shift, but in most cases, there’s a lot more dedication and caring involved with OR nursing.

Nurses are the heartbeat of the OR

If you watch enough television, you’d probably be convinced that doctors and surgeons are the heroes of medical care. While there’s no doubt that these professionals are essential in the hospital setting, it’s really the nurses who provide the heartbeat of the OR and the hospital itself. Whatever happens in the OR, it will be the nurses who are obliged to provide follow-up care to a patient and help them through the recovery process. Nursing care can literally make or break patient outcomes, which makes them essential to patient care.

Nurses know the OR 

Nurses spend more time in the OR than anyone else, so they know procedures and processes better than anyone. That puts them in the position of understanding how things can best be improved, and how their own contributions are essential to patient care. The caring and dedication delivered by OR nurses are what really drives life in the OR, and their input on efficiencies that might be gained should be heeded by administrators and those in management positions.