She's As Cold As Ice*

When I first told the world I wanted to become a CRNA, I remember one ICU nurse in particular discouraging me stating that the OR was too cold of an environment for someone like me.

I'm not sure what he meant by that. Especially, the someone "like me" part.

So here is the solution I came up with in my head (please keep in mind my math stills are rusty and include lots of creative rounding**):

How to deal with cold OR environments
1. Increase your ambient temperature. This is a good idea also if you are in situations that include trauma, coagulopathies not related to trauma, coagulopathies related to trauma, pediatrics, burns, pediatric burns, and pediatric coagulopathies. (Author's note-never let anyone find out that it was you who increased the ambient temperature...the OR really is a "cold" place and they'll yell at you)
2. Under Armor. I am quite a fan of this stuff. Not only because it looks stylish, but because it has the ability to seal heat in and in the event of being stuck in the trauma OR, it wicks away sweat so you always look like you are maintaining your cool (while throwing up inside your mask because you're secretly terrified)
3. Steal the Bair Hugger from your patient. Once their core temperature has been successfully stabilized over 36.5 degrees, I feel it is fair to play the game of "one for you, one for me." That is, one minute (or so) of warm air blowing on you, one for me.
4. Huddle next to the lamp on the anesthesia machine. Beware, because if you are wearing gloves, they may melt and burn you....not that I would like know about that or anything***.
5. This is my favorite. The way to overcome the coolness in the OR-be nice and caring to your patients. Yes, the OR is an impersonal, cold, and sterile**** environment. That is why I take the skills I learned as a nurse and show each and every patient the compassion and empathy they deserve. I was recently approached (er...accosted) at FedEx by the worker who noticed that I was mailing anesthesia related paperwork. One thing lead to another and he ended up asking me if it was okay to use illegal drugs and undergo anesthesia. Let me tell you (NO-it isn't!! DUH!), I don't really care why he asked me and no, I don't care if you do drugs at home. I don't care what you do at home. I care that you are honest with me so I can appropriately take care of you.

Let me hop on my pro-CRNA soap box yet again. One reason why I love been a CRNA (*student*) is that I am able to take the caring and compassion I learned as an ICU RN and translate it into caring for someone during the scariest times of their life-surgery. I literally hold some one's life in my hands everyday. My career choice was reaffirmed the other day. I was working in GI doing colonoscopies when I was called to do a larger procedure that required the patient to be intubated. The patient looked at me (no clue who she was), and said-Oh thank god it is you. Do whatever you did last time because I felt great afterwards. Even though I didn't remember her, obviously she remembered the care (and extra Zofran) I gave her. It made my day and hers too.

*Allegedly
**No worries, my math skills in the OR are really quite good. Plus, I can whip out a calculator so fast it'd make your head spin.
***Seriously, you'll only be allowed this technique once. Ouch.
****I actually don't believe in sterility. Unless you are talking vasectomy. I like to think of it as really clean instead.