What is an ortho unit?

Ortho nurses are registered nurses (RNs) who work with patients suffering from a variety of musculoskeletal issues (joint/knee problems, bone issues, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.). The job environment will have you working closely with orthopedic doctors and surgeons in a hospital.

What is the ortho floor in a hospital?

Hospital orthopedic unit After a patient undergoes an orthopedic surgery, they are usually transferred to a floor in the hospital dedicated to patients with orthopedic problems. Nurses on the ortho floor usually work three 12-hour shifts per week and care for four to six patients at a time.

What does an ortho nurse do?

An Orthopedic or Orthopaedic Nurse takes care of people with musculoskeletal diseases and disorders, like arthritis, fractures, broken bones, joint replacements, and osteoporosis.

Why do you want to be an ortho nurse?

In orthopedics, patient care is often complex. It can be overwhelming for a person to cope with an injury, and at the same time, focus on medical details. For this reason, orthopedic nurses play a crucial role to help patients better understand their conditions, status, and options.

What you need to know to be an ortho nurse?

What Are the Education Requirements for Orthopaedic Nurses? Earning an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) and passing the NCLEX-RN exam to become licensed in the state is required. Many hospitals prefer a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree but it is not a requirement for all hospitals.

What services are offered by orthopedic?

Surgical procedures used in the treatment of orthopedics include:

• Amputation.
• Arthroscopic surgeries.
• Bunionectomy and hammer toe repair.
• Cartilage repair or resurfacing procedures.
• Cartilage surgery to knee.
• Fracture care.
• Joint replacement (arthroplasty)
• Ligament reconstructions.

What should an orthopedic nurse know?

These orthopedic issues include conditions like arthritis, bone fractures, broken bones, joint replacements, genetic malformations, arthritis, and osteoporosis. Orthopedic nurses are familiar with traction, casting, mobility devices, and pain management.

How long does it take to become an orthopedic nurse?

It takes about 6 to 9 combined years of study and work experience to become an Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner. The time it takes to earn a master’s degree from an accredited program depends on your starting point. For example: A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program may take about three to four years to complete.

What is an orthopedic post-surgical care unit?

Additionally, designated orthopedic post-surgical care units specialize in joint replacement recovery, with a state-of-the-art therapy gym and rooms with hotel-like amenities.

How many orthopedic procedures are done at the hospital of Central Connecticut?

Our 18-bed inpatient general orthopedic and spine services unit cares for patients recovering from a variety of procedures. About 3,000 orthopedic and podiatric surgical outpatient procedures are done annually at The Hospital of Central Connecticut. Some of the most common performed in our Ambulatory Surgery Unit are:

What is a heavy orthopedic patient?

Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic. 728 Posts Our orthos are all elderly hip fractures and knee replacements. They’re considered “heavy” patients because they have difficult to control pain, “fragile” vitals and are are reliant on us for almost all of their ADLs and creature comforts.

What kind of procedures do you see on the orthopedic floor?

Most commonly the procedures we see are hip fractures (total hips) and elective hip (bipolar/hemiarthroplasties) and knee replacements, sometimes a shoulder or ankle fracture thrown in the mix and sometimes fasciotomies. Our floor also takes medical and post-op patients though so its a good mix of orthos/lap appys/pancreatitis/cellulitis.