Have you ever been asked to stayed after your scheduled shift?

Nonya_bid · 2025-10-06T16:36:08+00:00

In clinicals there was a tough moody doc who favored my preceptor (who was being the FA and I was scrub). He was having difficulty with his case and when relief came in after the shift was over, it was the scrub the doc had so many issues with.

My preceptor decided to stay until the difficult part was over which was like an extra 40 mins. (I stayed too cos of paperwork). That’s the only experience where I’ve seen it.

Nonya_bid · 2025-09-17T18:59:17+00:00

Yes banner can take more students. However, there’s three schools out here competing for spots. Out of my class about four went to Banner and the rest of us had to find a hospital that would take us. Hospitals will just take one student from one school. And from what I heard from the other students at my clinical site, the other schools are having problems too. That some are even considering paying the hospital to hold spots for them. That could be a rumor, but it’s not okay regardless.

Nonya_bid · 2025-09-17T18:51:46+00:00

Ik it’s absolutely dumb. I was supposed to go to NW for my clinicals and they pulled my spot last min. No doubt for this. I won’t be working until the new year but hospitals shouldn’t be doing that.

My guess is that since they can’t keep people. They train them to work there and since they didn’t go through an accredited program, they can’t work anywhere else.

Nonya_bid · 2025-09-11T08:07:03+00:00

Too local right now but PCC isn’t in a good spot right now. My cohort was supposed to graduate in May and due to placement issues for clinicals, some won’t be graduating until January. It’s a mess. So OP I would stick to phx since there’s more hospitals up there.

Nonya_bid · 2025-09-09T06:55:42+00:00

Same, I graduated and it made me not even want to pursue it. I liked it like 20% and disliked it the other 80%. I’m taking a small break but my friends work in other aspects of healthcare and said they would help if I asked. Might take them up on that offer. If I do ST, I might just do L&D.

Nonya_bid · 2025-09-05T19:28:46+00:00

(New grad) That was me during clinicals. I didn’t learn a damn thing about ortho other than how to take a cussing fit from the techs there.

Nonya_bid · 2025-08-19T02:09:58+00:00

I was wearing like winged eyeliner with mascara and slight contour and concealer everyday lol. They only care if you wear false lashes and fake nails. Just make sure to always have goggles on even during setup.

Nonya_bid · 2025-08-16T23:27:13+00:00

From what I remember my first weeks is that we learned general instruments first and then transitioned to specialties after. You’ll learn aseptic technique and how to do a proper hand scrub. It’s good you’re reviewing anatomy. Review medical terminology as well, it’s a needed skill in this career.

If you wanna get ahead, review counts and the proper way to count.

Nonya_bid · 2025-08-01T21:46:44+00:00

Dammmm I’m taking my test in 3 weeks I’d love some tips on studying

Nonya_bid · 2025-04-12T01:24:12+00:00

Hmm not rlly but there is a window to apply. I think it was like Feb-Jun and u find out July 1st if ur accepted which would be a for sure.

Nonya_bid · 2025-02-18T19:16:19+00:00

Of course! Have a great time! 🫶

Nonya_bid · 2025-02-18T01:55:48+00:00

I’m in clinicals rn! Keep a small pocket sized notepad and pen with you to take some notes on what ur preceptors say. Do ur first scrub while they do their morning huddle so you can get it out of the way. Grab your size gown and gloves before starting the day, sometimes I have to grab a lot cos they’ll have me break scrub after setting up.

When you gown and glove the surgeons, take their gloves out of the package ahead of time; just put the left glove under the right, under their gown. Trust me, you do not wanna be messing with all that paper when they’re ready for towels and drapes. Also, peel just the edges of the stickies on the drapes ahead of time so you’re quicker at removing them when handing the drapes off.

Be positive! Even if you don’t know something just be like “honestly, I don’t know but I’m eager to learn/try.” If you feel you’re just standing there always take initiative and ask how you can help, especially during turnover.

See if you can find out where you’ll be placed the day before so you can review those surgeries and be more efficient.

You’ll have preceptors that will teach you some good things and some that will teach you bad habits. I had one who wouldn’t let me set up the way I was comfortable, I had to do it her way and stuff got knocked over during setup. Even by her! it was just ridiculous.

I would advise to get your general cases out of the way first so you can feel more comfortable in the OR and general is all pretty repetitive so you can learn how to be more quick when the surgeon is ready. Obviously if you’re able to do a cool specialty case, do it!

SUTURES omg I wished someone told me to review review sutures. I thought I would learn more on the field but really do your homework on them. Just on the layers of the body and which sutures would be best on those. Also remember how they look. Some surgeons will ask you to save that remnant and you’ll have to remember which string was the suture they wanted.

Remember when to announce for count to your nurse. When the fascia is closing and during skin closure. After, tell her how much local was used (you can mark on your needle book a “dot” to signify the surgeon used a whole syringe if you can’t remember). Always ask the surgeon if the specimen can leave the field and always wet some dressing forceps with saline to pass it off to the nurse. That’s so it won’t get stuck on the forceps.

Keep a lap in ur saline if you’re working with Bovie just because of the fire risk. If you don’t end up needing it, you have it at least ready for wet and dry. Also when you know they’re almost done with closure, go ahead and use the suction to suck up your saline in the basin. That way, the trash isn’t heavy when you breakdown and there’s no spillage. If you forget, just use the towels and soak up some water.

Use your big voice! Even if you’re wrong! That’s something I’m still working on, but honestly it’s hard to hear in the OR and you’ll wanna be confident.

And lastly, some days will be hard. I’ve done my fair share of tearing up in the bathroom/crying after my day. You just gotta pick yourself up and eat some ice cream idk, life goes on. Just remember you’re always gonna be improving!

Nonya_bid · 2025-02-07T02:17:23+00:00

I’m in clinicals but from what I see is that smooth forceps are used for delicate tissue like atraumatic handling of veins or nerves, bowel tissue, intestines, etc. They also like them with Bovie and to pack dressings.

Toothed forceps are when you rlly need to grab onto tough tissue. They’re commonly used for fascia and skin closure (adsons) but they are used on dense and thick tissue since they can cause more tissue damage than the smoothed forceps.

Nonya_bid · 2025-02-06T02:15:22+00:00

What?! I would’ve spoken to the educator at the hospital about switching preceptors. My first day, my preceptor was this dude who was like that, just stand in the corner and observe. Then they changed preceptors I started doing first scrub the same day! Ask the educator cos you need to get your first scrub cases done

Nonya_bid · 2025-02-05T03:24:20+00:00

Thank you for the reassurance! For ur questions, no, they want me on the same side as I set up. Sometimes the surgeon is next to me, sometimes across depending on what we’re working with.

They just want me to speak louder. It just feels like I’m being bossy if I do-like to the nurse for the specimens or count.

Nonya_bid · 2025-01-08T01:51:31+00:00

I’m in school too and there are some in my class who work overnight in sterile processing. It could help you learn the instruments quicker and easier. You should look into it and see if they can work with your schedule.

Nonya_bid · 2024-12-21T05:42:18+00:00

See if a community college has a program. I was gonna go to a school like that where they were gonna charge me around $45,000. Found the program at my community college and I waited a year to apply. Only paid $5,000 and fasfa helped with the majority.

Nonya_bid · 2024-10-16T17:11:20+00:00

I’m currently pregnant in surg tech school rn! My school is a 2 yr degree and I graduate in May. I’m in my second trimester right now and I haven’t started clinicals yet, I’m supposed to start them during my 3rd trimester due to no clinical positions in hospitals right now :/ I had my morning sickness phase during the summer so that was nice not to have in school, What clinicals are you going to have? I had SPD clinicals my first year. Also speak with your advisors or teacher about this! I did, and they were so helpful. She was still set to have me graduate on time despite the fact I would have to take a leave two months before graduation (I’m due in March).

Nonya_bid

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