opinions about surgical tech to surgical RN route?

Specialties Operating Room

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I am trying to get accepted to a couple of RN programs near where I live, but they are very competitive. I have a 3.6 gpa and an associate in health sciences, but the lowest they accepted last semester was 3.9. I want to start working and am interested in surgery. I also receive financial aid and loans so I can't put keep applying forever. I even volunteered in the OR at the hospital here on base where they then sent me to be trained as a phlebotomist so that I could do draws on surgery patients to prevent them from having to go downstairs to the lab before surgery. Anyways, there is a surgical tech program also starting this fall. I was thinking that I could complete the surgical tech program and then maybe even go to a surgical tech to RN program. Do any of you if that is even possible? I know that they have LPN to RN programs. Also, what is your opinion of what surgical techs do in the OR? Did any of you take this route to becoming an RN? Thanks for any thoughts.

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Kimberly,

Becoming a surgical technition will be a path into the operating room. And a path to a job in a hospital that might also have a program that will give you tuition assistance or even fully paid tuition reimbursement. A job as a phlebotamist might also do that for you! I am sorry that you are unable to get into a nursing program - we need you! The shortage exists among instructors of nursing as well as practitioners of nursing. Good luck to you!

Karen

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Specializes in Rehab, Step-down,Tele,Hospice.

Kats, I am a Surgical Tech in my 4th semester of nursing school. I have every intention of working in the OR when I graduate this summer. I have spoke to the director of the OR and she seemed very excited to hire me when I graduate. I have heard its hard to get into the OR as a new nurse with no experience, so this might be your best bet but check out all your options first.

Good Luck and feel free to email me with any questions. :)

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Anyways, there is a surgical tech program also starting this fall. I was thinking that I could complete the surgical tech program and then maybe even go to a surgical tech to RN program.

I work in a big teaching hospital, and I know at least 6 techs I work with who are going to nursing school right now. If OR is where you want to be, it will be great for you start out as a tech if you can't get into nursing school right now. Most hospitals pay for your degree, so that's a great plus for you. Also, most managers are really flexible with the tech's school schedule. We have techs that work only evening shifts, night shifts or every weekend to accomodate school. Most managers will love to hire techs/RN back because they already know the people and system. It might be a longer way for you to reach your goal, but it's do-able and well worth it.

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Specializes in operating room.
Kimberly,

Becoming a surgical technition will be a path into the operating room. And a path to a job in a hospital that might also have a program that will give you tuition assistance or even fully paid tuition reimbursement. A job as a phlebotamist might also do that for you! I am sorry that you are unable to get into a nursing program - we need you! The shortage exists among instructors of nursing as well as practitioners of nursing. Good luck to you!

Karen

DITTO!!!!!

I THINK ALL RNS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SCRUB ANYWAY. YOU WOULD BE AN ASSET IN THE OR.

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I currently work as a certified surgical technologist. I have worked as a tech for 4 years. I am also a student nurse in a BSN program. I have found my experiance as a surgical tech to be priceless when it comes to the learning needed to be a good nurse. I can tell you that I am at the top of my nursing class,and it is definetly in part thanks to my training and opportunities working in surgery. If you know that you will have to wait for a year or two before going to nursing school an accredited surgical technologist program would be an excellent choice. I encourge you to apply if you know that you want to work in surgery. Best of Luck

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Hi all, I wanted to inform you all that I won't be going to nursing school after all. I got fed up with trying to get into the program. I also registered for classes for the Speech Language Pathology program while waiting to hear about the nursing program. After taking my 5 classes so far this semester, I have really grown to like this program so I will be sticking with it. I had also heard from the nursing program that since my husband is in the Navy and his home of record is still Washington and we live in California, I am not eligible to enter the program at the university. Like I said, I am very happy with what I am studying though and look forward to being an SLP. The biggest difference is I need a masters degree before I can start working which isn't a big deal because I would have gone on to a MSN anyways. I will also probably be earning more money than if I were to be an RN and will have more time off for holidays and vacations. Thanks for all of your support in the past and good luck to all of you in the future.

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I am trying to get accepted to a couple of RN programs near where I live, but they are very competitive. I have a 3.6 gpa and an associate in health sciences, but the lowest they accepted last semester was 3.9. I want to start working and am interested in surgery. I also receive financial aid and loans so I can't put keep applying forever. I even volunteered in the OR at the hospital here on base where they then sent me to be trained as a phlebotomist so that I could do draws on surgery patients to prevent them from having to go downstairs to the lab before surgery. Anyways, there is a surgical tech program also starting this fall. I was thinking that I could complete the surgical tech program and then maybe even go to a surgical tech to RN program. Do any of you if that is even possible? I know that they have LPN to RN programs. Also, what is your opinion of what surgical techs do in the OR? Did any of you take this route to becoming an RN? Thanks for any thoughts.

Hi there.

well, Ive done both.( OR tech and now and OR RN)

I started out as an OR tech and then went to nursing school and became an RN.

I guess that becoming an OR tech is one way to get into the OR, but if I had it to do over agin, I wouldnt go that route. (thats just my personal opinion though, it would very well work out great for you that way)

Personally, I would just go directly to nursing school and look for the one place that offered a training program (theyre few and far between, but they do exist, I saw one last mont in my nursing spectrum magazine)

The reason that I feel this way, is that for me, the OR tech program ended up being an extra year worth of work AND, even more difficult, was the added expense that I had to pay back, in addition to my nursing school loans.WHen I went to the OR tech program and then to nursing school for my RN diploma, I was then a divorced "single parent" and was struggling financially and I could have avoided an extra school bill, if I had just gone directly to nursing school.

( Im not aware of any OR tech to Rn programs?)

If you do consider going straight to nursing school, just call around at the area hospitals ,prior to you starting date, and ask , "do you have an OR training program for new RN's", the larger university hospitals are more likely to have this.

I have seen them offered from time to time.

No matter what you choose, I wish you the best of luck.

ps > (nice to mee you)

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