Becoming an Operating Room Nurse

[macizu, BSN, RN]

I have a question about becoming an operating room nurse. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but you usually have to have some kind of certification to be an OR nurse right? Now I know that some people have gotten really lucky and landed an OR gig right after they graduated but I'm not counting on luck. I know that some community colleges offer programs for nurses who want to work in the OR. This program is also in line with a surgical tech program. However surgical tech programs are usually one year long (at least those in my side town) so does that mean that after graduation, I have to attend this program for one whole year before I can work in the OR? How are people doing it?

Thanks.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

If you're in the US, you do not need any special kind of certification to become an OR nurse. I went straight to the OR after graduating with my RN, in a program designed for those without OR experience that lasted about 9 months that was provided by the hospital. You would not need to go through the ST program because they have different job descriptions and roles in the OR. Many ORs do not have nurses scrub because STs are less expensive.