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Take A Virtual Tour Click on the photo above to take a virtual tour of one of Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center's Operating Rooms. As you view a full 360-degree panorama using iPIX™ technology, you can zoom in, pan across, and examine any part of the unit. You will need the software plugin to view the Operating Room Once you install the plugin, read the Navigation Instructions An Operating Room Nurse is More Than a Pair of Eyes Most of what the average person knows about Operating Rooms comes from watching Chicago Hope or St. Elsewhere on television, but to the men and women in the real Operating Rooms, such as those at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, television can be far from the real thing. Mary Rippy, Unit Leader in Surgery at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, says an Operating Room nurse's daily routine is not the same as depicted on TV. "It's generally not as exciting, unless there's an emergency case. Because of our security system in the Surgery area, we don't get the 'angry spouse' or other similar disruptions." She mentions there was a time when an autoclave unit overheated and caused the sprinklers to go off, but that is about as exciting as it gets. Suanna Pruitt has worked at Fort Sanders for 12 years as an RN in Surgery. She remembers a time when it proved to be a challenge convincing a patient to remove a certain piece of jewelry. "Some patients have had...interesting tattoos, as well," she said. "We normally just cover them up with a cloth." Suanna also says things are different on TV than in real life. "I'll notice things on TV that are wrong, such as doctors and nurses with their surgical masks down when they shouldn't be, or not observing all the sterile procedure rules with their instruments. It's for dramatic effect, but it's noticeable. One thing that is similar is the music that's played in the Operating Room. Sometimes we play country music, or even Easy Listening depending on the doctor's preference. It helps us relax and focus on our job." What is a Surgical Nurse? Mary and Suanna are two of over 50 nurses, technicians, and other support personnel that work the day shift in Surgery at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. The unit consists of 16 Operating Rooms, of which two were designed primarily for Cardiac Surgery and another for Urological Surgery. The suite pictured featured in our Virtual Tour has special tools for opthalmological surgery, but other procedures are performed in there as well. To many people who are preparing to have surgery, or who are considering that option, the people and equipment in an Operating Room can seem intimidating or impersonal. That's a perception these nurses want to disprove. "The people who are taking care of you in the Operating Room are the same ones whom you go to church with, or know in your everyday life. Behind the mask, we're the same people," notes Suanna. "Nurses may seem hectic or busy at times, and the equipment in the room may frighten patients, but we want them to know we're always here for them and care about them." Whether it's a caring hand clasp, or being spoken to in a comforting manner, patients shouldn't be worried about an surgical experience. Although the equipment in the room may appear intimidating, it's used for many types of procedures, and not necessarily the current patient. Not Just a 9-to-5 Job Mary notes that a number of the personnel that work in the Operating Rooms have a wide range of outside interests. "One of our nurses, Trish Pennybaker, likes to show dogs and has won several awards. Some like to cross-stitch, make holiday sweatshirts, go square dancing, and sing or play musical instruments. Some of our nurses participate in an Investing club, and we even have birthday parties here for our staff." "If there's one thing I'd like for patients to know before they have surgery," Mary says, "is that it's ok to ask questions. Don't be afraid to be informed, because you have a choice and a right to know what's going on. It's ok to be anxious, because we're here to help you." A former nurse wrote a poem called, "More than a Pair of Eyes" that is now part of the department cookbook. It says that nurses are more than just a pair of eyes above a surgical mask. They're your friends, your comforters, and always treat you as a loved one on the table.

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