Re: OR reference textbooks?
If you have a classroom portion, there's a good chance that your OR will provide some books. My orientation was the AORN Perioperative Nursing Program, and the hospital loaned us a copy of the AORN standards and Alexander's. If they don't and you can't get it from the library, there's an e-book version available at aorn.org. I also recommend joining AORN, the journal alone is worth it, but you also get a lower price on CEUs through them and a lower price on the certification exam if you choose to take it.
Nursing News