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Discussion

Advice for returning

Hi everyone!

I've been an RN since 2007 and was accepted directly into a residency program in the OR which I LOVED. I was there for a year, and although I loved my job, I was dead broke. I moved an hour away from my boyfriend who could not move because of his job and I had so many bills and student loans, etc. I was struggling constantly. I made the difficult decision to move back to live with my boyfriend and regained financial stability, but I had to leave my OR job since it was too far for call. I felt so guilty leaving my OR family that I did not return to an OR since, but worked a short time in preop, postop and then at a health department trying to find my niche. After working my second year as an RN I took a leave to assist my family's business and try to figure out what to do as far as my nursing career. After 6 months no one would interview me so I decided to go back to school and get my BSN, but now I've been out of nursing for 5 years and the OR for 6. I'm getting some interviews but I cannot seem to get back into the OR which I love and am determined to return. I may be entering a "refresher" program to refresh my nursing skills starting this week, but my mentor says it won't help me return to Perioperative Nursing. I'm wondering if it will show my motivation? Or maybe get me a bedside job (not preferable), and after a year try and transfer? I'm willing to do an internship, residency, unpaid training, etc. and I just need a chance to prove myself. I completed AORN's Periop Mastery Course, and have my Alexander's book and intrument books at home I also read through as well.

Any advice or suggestion is appreciated!! I should have in hindsight kept my OR job and tried to figure my finances out but I can't change the past. Please help!!!

Thank you! :)

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    • Admin

    It may takes several steps to get back into the OR, especially if you are in an area that is saturated with unemployed nurses. It's an employers' market in many areas, and many nurses are finding that to get a job, they must take one that isn't in their preferred specialty. It's up to you if you want to hold out for an OR position or take a job just to have one and then look into the possibility of transferring into the OR. At least when applying for jobs, you will have some OR experience on your side. You may want to look into having your resume reviewed professionally to ensure that you are highlighting that experience, plus join AORN for networking opportunities- sometimes it's more about who you know than what you know.

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    • Author

    Thank you for the reply! Sorry it's taken me so long to reply to you. I had very limited time to decide what to do as far as the refresher program since it's only offered twice a year here and I did not want to wait if that was my best option, so after consulting with a mentor, I decided to do it. I am 3/4 through with the online portion and will do the clinical portion next month...if it leads to a position outside of the OR, I'm hoping to stay there for a year and hopefully transfer into the OR if possible. I've had a handful of interviews since my initial post and get the same answer- "we like you but we are hesitant", and there does not seem to be much I can say to change this in their minds.

    I have tried to do everything I can think of for the past several years in fact, to assist in my getting a job- ACLS and PALS in addition to BLS, been a member of my state nursing association as well as ANA, and also a member of AORN and APSNA; then also getting my BSN. I actually took the AORN Periop Mastery Course last May to also assist in refreshing my perioperative knowledge and also show my motivation, but nothing seems to be helping me. Which is why I decided to do the refresher program and try that route. The pricetag is steep but I hope it will be worth it.

    Thank you so much for your thoughts!! If you can think of anything else definitely let me know!!! I will keep you posted on my progress :)

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