In the OR

On Friday I did my rotation in the Operating Room (OR). I observed 5 surgeries. One was a rotator cuff arthroplasty. Aother was a pacemaker insertion. I watched 2 hysteroscopies. The surgeon was looking to find out why the post-menopausal women were having bleeding. She found polyps in both of the women. On those surgeries I was able to watch both on the screen.
I was able to scrub in on the final surgery. It was a pancrectomy and splenectomy. I was right next to the surgeon when she made the first incision. She cautorized the skin and the adipost tissue (fat). Then I watched her cut the abdomen. I saw her internal organs, the liver, small & large intestines, stomach, pancreas & liver. It was awesome! The best part of all was when the surgeon took my had and put it inside the woman's abdominal cavity. I felt her spleen & pancreas!!!!! WOW!
She removed her spleen & pancreas and her splenic vein. I've never seen a vein cut and sutured, nor have I seen , any internal organs, other than on TV. It was the most interesting thing I've seen!
It was an uncommon surgery at that hospital, and I feel very privliged to have been present at that surgery. Being an OR nurse is definitely an option now. It was a wonderful day!