The truth is that the work that is done by the OR nurse is tough. There is so much stress in this profession and the work is quite exhausting, especially in the beginning, until you manage to get used to it. What many do not know is that most of the operating room nurses quit in the first three months. That is due to the stress that appears.
A huge part of why everything is stressful is the fact that every single second is important. Efficiency needs to be really high and prioritization is a huge necessity. The OR nurse has to quickly realize what has to be done as soon as possible, what will be needed in the near future and what can be left for a little later. Doing three things at once is not that easy and requires multi-tasking skills.
We are normally used with nurses that have a specific dress code, one that is really neat and clean. In many clinics we see nurses that have clothes that are colourful, with creative nurses name badges like those from Color4Care and similar.
All OR nurses have the same uniforms and masks are almost always worn. It is actually possible to work with a person for years and not really know how they look like. Everything is because of the clothes. Everyone basically seems to look the same. Creativity in work clothes simply does not exist. Hair is never visible and everything is basically looking the same.
In the operating room you are not allowed to wear any jewellery. This is because bracelets and similar can easily store harmful germs. The wedding ring is always taken off before the cleaning process starts, just as with bracelets, watches and all other jewellery. Necklaces are not allowed because of the fact that there is always the risk that they would break. If they fall into wounds, the risk is potentially deadly for the patient. A similar thing can be said for earrings. However, if they are small and can be covered by the cap, it will not be a big problem.
Dress code in the operating room for nurses goes even further, affecting even nails. What many do not know is that the nails do harbour murdering germs. That is especially the case when referring to fake wraps and nails. Although it may seem insensible for some people, fake nails have to be removed. It is important to make sure that the nails are natural, under a quarter of an inch and clean. The only difference that appears now from the past years is that you are allowed to wear nail polish. However, it is necessary to make sure that nail polish is not chipped. You do not want chipped nail polish to end up in the wound.
It is quite interesting to notice the fact that nowadays we have regular scrubs that are more fashionable than the OR nurses. In the operating room the way in which doctors and nurses dress is vital and this is one fact that many have to remember. Only specific scrubs that look plain are available.