Mickey Haryanto's Career in Orthopaedic Nursing Is a Good Match

Since 1990, the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) has taken time to honor the work they do. This week from October 29 through November 2 marks the National Orthopaedic Nurses Week.

Minority Nurse had a chance to hear from Mickey Haryanto RN-BC, MBA, ONC, and program manager of the Joint Replacement Program at the Medical University of South Carolina to find out about a career in orthopaedic nursing.

“I have always loved the challenge of orthopaedic patient care,” says Haryanto, NAON’s president. “When I graduated from nursing school my first position was on an orthopedic unit. I found that it was a great place to hone my skills.”

As Haryanto’s career progressed, she found herself in varied roles such as in critical care or home care, where her orthopaedic skills were needed and where she enjoyed seeing the results of her work with patients. She continues to see how orthopaedic nurses bring varied skills to healthcare that continue to be in high demand. And, of course, she can’t resist this explanation for her career choice: “I guess it’s ‘in my bones’!”

Eventually, a position came along that was just right for her. “When I was offered a position doing ortho case management, I jumped at the chance when no one else was interested,” she says. “Too bad for them!”

And bone jokes aside, Haryanto says the career brings the kind of gratification that helps nurses continue in such a challenging day-to-day career. “Being involved with helping people recover from injuries and musculoskeletal conditions where you can see people progress is very satisfying,” she says. Still, the challenges orthopaedic nurses face, including an increasing demand on healthcare resources and nursing shortages, are echoed throughout the nursing entire profession.

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Marking Orthopaedic Nurses Week

But a career as an orthopaedic nurse requires an interdisciplinary approach. As the motion and movement of joints and bones impacts other body systems directly and indirectly, Haryanto calls orthopaedics “a team sport. We never stop learning from each other.”

If you’re a nurse or a nursing student who is interested in this nursing path, Haryanto suggests shadowing an orthopaedic nurse. “We love to share knowledge and bring new nurses into the fold,” she says. As with other nursing specialties, nurses should plan to get certified with the Orthopaedic Nurse Certification -ONC credential. Shadowing a nurse with that credential will give you a full picture of what a day might look like and what skills are used most often.

As a leader of NAON, Haryanto knows the benefits of a professional organization. “The mission of NAON is to advance the specialty of orthopaedic nursing through excellence in research, education and nursing practice,” she says. “We fulfill this mission by providing education and networking opportunities both online with webinars, an active Issues in Practice Forum, and at live events such as our annual congress (in Atlanta in 2019). We are a community of nurses for nurses.” New members are always welcome, as are inquiries from nurses who are curious about the specialty.