Can new RN graduates get jobs in the OR?

Medicalfire21 · Mar 9, 2012

YES! New grad nurses CAN definitely get a job in the OR right out of school. It just depends on the hospital (or outpatient surgery center) and whether or not they will hire new grads. At the hospital I work at they have an OR Academy - which is 3 weeks of classroom then 5 months of preceptorship (rotating through all the services). Anyone who does not have prior OR experience must complete the academy - but prior nursing experience is not required and they frequently hire new grads! I would just start looking into the requirements at the hospitals near you and inquire with their OR department to see if they hire new grads! I'm a fairly new grad (grad may 2011) and spent 8 months on a cardiac IMC and was MISERABLE. I loved my co-workers but hated the unit and the daily monotony of floor nursing. I transferred to the OR academy at the same hospital I was working at a few weeks ago and LOOOOOOVE IT! I was seriously about to give up on nursing all together (go back to being a medic/FF like I was prior to nursing school) until I went to the OR. I finally feel at "home". Good luck getting a job and I hope my comment helped and wasn't too confusing!

nancypants · Mar 9, 2012

Thank you so much for replying! I really think I want to do that and will just have to look into it. That was very encouraging and helpful! Good luck to you !