Changing roles in the operating room

For the past two years, Shayla Beard has been working her way through school as a certified surgical technologist while also completing clinicals and raising her five-year-old son. She also credits Guild—a tuition reimbursement program for IU Health team members—as a huge help throughout nursing school.

And now that she’s graduated and passed the National Council Licensure Examination, she’s returning to the neurosurgery operating room in her new role as a registered nurse.

“I think my favorite degree will always be my CST, because it’s what got me started, but nursing was always in the back of my mind,” says Beard, who works with the IU Health Bloomington Neurosurgery team. “This seemed like the next logical step to have more responsibility, take on a little bit more and do more for my team.”

As a CST, Beard says her role is focused on the instruments and protecting the sterile field. For people with no prior knowledge, she says she’s the person on medical TV shows who hands the surgeon the scalpel.

“Other than that, the CST is kind of the eyes and ears of the field,” says Beard.

As a nurse, she has a new role and responsibilities to learn, which are helped by her prior knowledge of the instruments, procedures and team. Her first year will also include time with fellow new nurses in the South Region Nurse Residency program.

“I think there’s going to be a nice transition, especially once I’m out of orientation and trained,” says Beard. “I’ll be a little more removed from the actual surgery, but I’ll get a little more patient interaction, and I do still plan to scrub in as a CST when needed.”

That patient interaction is what she’s most excited about, which includes going into pre-op to talk with patients, get to know them and their loved ones, and helping on that side of the surgical process. She’ll also be conducting the final safety check to ensure the correct patient is in the right place at the right time.

In September, Beard will return to school to complete her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. With the additional degree, she’ll be opening the potential to take on more leadership roles in the future.

“I’m one of those people who, if I take a break and I don’t have a set date, I won’t go back,” says Beard. “So, while I’m still feeling the win, I’ve made the commitment.”

Beard thanks her leaders and team for their support throughout this process and is excited to continue working with them in her new role.