The experience of being an older perioperative nurse

AORN Journal,  Oct, 2003  by Susan Letvak

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Ms E, a specialty team nurse said

   We are a different breed of nursing--it
   is different from any other,
   and I think that is what has made
   it easier to stay. There is such a variety
   of things going on; it keeps you
   from getting burned out.

Ms M, who has spent her entire nursing career in the OR, spoke of being a perioperative nurse even before she became a nurse.

   When I went into Fundamentals in
   nursing school in 1966, I distinctly
   remember the instructor going
   around and asking all of us what we
   wanted to do when we graduated.
   And all I wanted was to be in the OR.
   And I was the only one. I thought it
   would be exciting with a lot of action
   going on. And I was right. I loved it
   then, and I still do.

Overall, the nurses did not see themselves as "older." Clearly, they viewed themselves as being more experienced and respected. Ms T said

   I don't see any problem working as
   an older nurse. There is always help,
   and I don't mind getting help when I
   need to. I guess I sort of demand
   respect because in that aspect, when I
   call for help, I get help.

Ms L also spoke of being respected

   As an older nurse, you are really in a
   position of authority. Like the other
   day, one of the young doctors was getting
   huffy with the scrub tech, and
   things weren't going right. I told him,
   "Just listen--it is not her fault, so you
   just straighten up. I'm old enough to be
   your mother and I can bust your ears."
   And you know, he just shut right up.

Participants spoke of being more stable and working harder now that they are older. Additionally, they spoke of perioperative nursing being difficult, no matter how old one is. Ms A said, "Some days, it is just really hard no matter what your age is. Some of the younger nurses have a harder time with it. We've seen it all."

Participants said age is not an issue in the OR, although they do have less endurance. Ms K said, "Well really, being older isn't an issue. I may be more tired after eight hours then when I was in my 20s, but the recall and memory are just as good." Ms H, a part-time float nurse, said

   If you have to cover a 3 to 11 [shift]
   and then go back to work at 6:30 the
   next morning, that is harder for an
   older nurse. We don't have quite the
   energy we used to have.

Ms F said

   Sometimes you forget things. Like you
   go out of the room and I am supposed
   to pick something up but l forget and I
   go back in and they have to remind me.
   And my body has slowed down too--I
   can't move around as fast. But my job
   performance is not affected.

After many years of working in the OR, only five of the 14 nurses spoke of work-related injuries. Two participants had repetitive motion injuries, one slipped on a wet floor, one slipped off a pneumatic stool, and another had a corneal abrasion. Ms B who is working part time said,

   The mental
   stress
   can be
   rough--especially
   during
   the downsizing
   period a few years back, but I
   haven't had any real physical injuries
   other than bumping my head once on a
   piece of equipment. But we've had lots
   of girls with injuries. Anyway, I don't
   worry so much about physical injury
   as I do about this being such a hazardous
   area with all the smoke and
   gases.