[ttbird1]

Hi,

I am a registered nurse looking for OR positions in the Chicagoland area. I have one big problem though, I do not have any OR experience. During my search, hospitals require at least one year of experience or are willing to train an ICU experienced nurse, which I do not have either.

I have been practicing for almost 5 years now. I started in med/surg (as suggested by nursing professors/clinical instructors) moved to a surgical stepdown unit and currently work as the team lead. Now, I want to move on. I have a desire to work OR and eventually become a first assistant.

Can someone lead me to the water?

[ewattsjt]

Well, you already know the first step. Find out if there are additional requirements to hire into the OR for your area (some places want training), most will hire and orient you.

Here is a link to the position statement from the AORN on RNFA. The requirements etc are all in the statement. http://www.aorn.org/PracticeResources/AORNPositionStatements/Position_RNFA