Bryan Lorber
RN, Perianesthesia Nurse

"Nursing gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives while giving yourself a feeling of total satisfaction."

Bryan Lorber is not your typical nurse. After nearly ten years of success working in commercial banking, as a real estate appraiser, and as an educator, he went back to school to study health education and decided to become a nurse.

While student teaching and substituting in a local high school, Bryan worked in a nursing home designing and implementing an enrichment program for residents with Alzheimer’s disease. In this position, he became increasingly interested in nursing. He observed and assisted in nursing procedures and after receiving some encouragement from his co-workers, Bryan got a nursing degree.

Bryan’s first position as an RN was in a large, 500-bed, teaching research hospital. He spent five years in the "float pool" where he moved around the hospital as needed. Some days he would work in two or three different units! This was a challenging way to start his nursing career but it allowed Bryan to have a wide variety of clinical experiences in a short period of time.

One day, Bryan was in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU) with his wife who was having a minor outpatient procedure. It was then that he realized he wanted to specialize in post-anesthetic care. Postoperative service requires working closely with other health professionals as a team. Excellent communication skills are essential.

After working for almost eight years at a large hospital, Bryan went to work at a small community hospital. He was hired in the PACU but the position is quite different from his previous job. He now has many more responsibilities than just tending to recovering patients. He interviews patients, sets up pre-op orders including labs, EKGs, and x-rays, educates patients and support people, and prepares patients with IVs and medication before surgery.

Bryan describes nursing as a dynamic and exciting profession. He often has patients thank him for making them feel comfortable and safe during their procedures. "Nursing gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives while giving yourself a feeling of total satisfaction," Bryan said. "If you really care about the human condition, have an above average sense of humor, want a different experience every day and enjoy working as a team, nursing just might be the right job for you. In any case, where else can you wear scrubs? It’s like going to work in your pajamas!"