Why I Chose the OR – Real Talk for New Nurses

Hey there, future rockstar OR nurses! 

If you're a new nurse (or nursing student) thinking, "The OR seems cool, but kind of scary..."—you are NOT alone. I’ve been there. I remember feeling curious and nervous all at the same time. The OR felt like this secret world behind swinging doors—and I wasn’t sure if I belonged there.

Spoiler alert: I do. And maybe you do too.

Let me tell you why I chose the operating room—and why you might want to consider it too.

It Wasn’t Love at First Glove 😅

Let’s be real: I didn’t grow up dreaming about passing instruments or positioning patients under giant surgical lights.

In fact, when I first saw the OR in nursing school, I was a little overwhelmed. Everyone looked laser-focused, the environment was intense, and the pace? Lightning fast.

But something about it grabbed me. It definitely caught my attention in a way I did not expect it to. I was amazed and in awe of what I  was watching. 

And I thought: “This is where I want to be.”

It's a Different Kind of Nursing

The OR isn’t like the floor or the ICU. You’re not passing meds or charting every hour. You’re doing something completely different: you’re anticipating.

You learn to think ahead of the surgeon, understand the steps of a procedure, and prep for what might happen before it even does. You become proactive, not just reactive—and that changes everything.

That level of critical thinking? It’s a skill that sharpens with time, and it’s one of the most empowering parts of being an OR nurse.

Everything in the OR is about detail.

We’re talking patient positioning, sterility, equipment, counts—it ALL matters. There’s no “winging it” here. That might sound intimidating at first, but trust me: there’s something really satisfying about knowing your preparation directly impacts patient outcomes.

You become the nurse who shows up ready. Focused. Unshakable.

And that feeling? It’s gold. ✨

The OR Team = Family (the Functional Kind 😂)

The teamwork in the OR is unlike anything I’ve experienced elsewhere in nursing.

You rely on your circulator, your scrub tech, your surgeon, your anesthesiologist—everyone—to work as one. And when a case gets complicated, that unity is everything.

In the OR, no one succeeds alone. And when you find your groove with your team? Magic.

Every Day Is a Learning Day 🧠

No two surgeries are ever exactly the same. You’re constantly learning—new procedures, new tools, new anatomy. Whether you’re in a general case or a specialized neuro or cardiac procedure, there’s always something new to take in.

And if you’re like me—someone who thrives on growth—you’ll never feel stagnant in the OR.

So… Should YOU Choose the OR?

If you're still on the fence, here’s what I’ll say:

You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. None of us did.

But if you’re drawn to fast-paced environments, crave structure and purpose, and love the idea of being a vital part of a surgical team—you might just be made for this.

You’ll work hard. You’ll be challenged. But you’ll also become confident, capable, and maybe even fall in love with the process like I did.

Final Thoughts 💙

I chose the OR because I wanted more than just a job—I wanted a place where I could grow, be challenged, and make a real impact.

To every new nurse out there who’s curious about the OR: lean in. Ask questions. Shadow a case if you can. Try it out.

You don’t have to be perfect to start. You just have to start.

And who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll be the one mentoring the next wide-eyed new nurse behind those double doors.

You've got this.