Re: "Should They Follow Your Lead?" (June, page 34) I got the feel for the OR while serving in the Navy as a hospital corpsman. After finishing my tour with the Navy, I took advantage of the GI Bill and returned to college to study nursing. Although my nursing instructors tried to talk me out of perioperative nursing, I knew in my heart that the OR is where I wanted to go. I have been in the OR since 1976 as a surgical tech, perioperative nurse and currently as a nurse manager. The OR is a tough unit, but at the end of the day it is the camaraderie that keeps the staff united: professional teams working together for the benefit of the patient. I always leave the doors open for students to walk in and experience the operating room environment. If they love it, they will be back. Your article balances the feelings about working in an environment that is stressful yet professionally fulfilling.

Baldemar J. Hidalgo, RN
Nurse Manager OR/PACU
McGuire VA Medical Center
Richmond, Va.
writeMail("bj@navymed.net")