How can I land an OR Job?

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Hello everyone!

I currently work at the bedside on an oncology med/surg unit. I have two years of experience and would like to leave the bedside to work in the OR. However, when I look at job postings for the OR they all require at least 2 years of OR experience. Does anyone have any advice for me on how to land an OR job with only bedside experience? I did see some OR courses which provide OR training, I am not sure if that would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

It could be that some facilities limit when they hire nurses without OR experience. Some will only run the orientation program once or twice a year and it tends to coincide with nursing school graduation season.

It also may depend on the departmental needs- a new OR nurse is going to take about 6 months to get up and running. An experienced nurse takes no more than half of that, and usually less. If the department needs nurses quickly, they're going to want those experienced nurses.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

What helped me land my first OR PeriOp 101 was the following:

1. Looking in to Indeed, creating job alerts at local hospitals, and being proactive. I would spend days at the computer looking for openings and putting my application (sometimes it worked sometimes it doesn't). If it said PeriOperative I did it

2. Reach out to the surgical services in your local hospital. I wasn't selected for the 2 year commitment OR program at my current (soon to be former) place of work but I contacted the recruiter, asked for specific dates and times, marked my calendar and made sure I was available

3. Update your resume!!!! You would be surprised how much your resume can make someone look over you (this was my problem as well). My resume was too long, included jobs I didn't work at any longer (or had nothing to do with nursing), and had several typos. I had to update my resume at least 3x before it was acceptable

4. Finally, never give up. It took me two years to land my new position but I put in that work. Attended hiring events, emailed the necessary people, kept my name out there, and it paid off.

Good luck to you!!!

On 9/25/2019 at 7:38 PM, Rose_Queen said:

It could be that some facilities limit when they hire nurses without OR experience. Some will only run the orientation program once or twice a year and it tends to coincide with nursing school graduation season.

It also may depend on the departmental needs- a new OR nurse is going to take about 6 months to get up and running. An experienced nurse takes no more than half of that, and usually less. If the department needs nurses quickly, they're going to want those experienced nurses.

Very true!!!! The program that selected me does two cohorts October and February/March. They only select 4 to 6 people per cohort but literally will have 100s of people wanting to be interviewed and selected

Glad I finally was selected I start this month!!!!!

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Specializes in Operating room, ER, Home Health.

Joined the Army with preoperative school in my contract.

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Specializes in Operating Room.
On 10/11/2019 at 1:16 AM, Nscorpiored said:

What helped me land my first OR PeriOp 101 was the following:

1. Looking in to Indeed, creating job alerts at local hospitals, and being proactive. I would spend days at the computer looking for openings and putting my application (sometimes it worked sometimes it doesn't). If it said PeriOperative I did it

2. Reach out to the surgical services in your local hospital. I wasn't selected for the 2 year commitment OR program at my current (soon to be former) place of work but I contacted the recruiter, asked for specific dates and times, marked my calendar and made sure I was available

3. Update your resume!!!! You would be surprised how much your resume can make someone look over you (this was my problem as well). My resume was too long, included jobs I didn't work at any longer (or had nothing to do with nursing), and had several typos. I had to update my resume at least 3x before it was acceptable

4. Finally, never give up. It took me two years to land my new position but I put in that work. Attended hiring events, emailed the necessary people, kept my name out there, and it paid off.

Good luck to you!!!

Very true!!!! The program that selected me does two cohorts October and February/March. They only select 4 to 6 people per cohort but literally will have 100s of people wanting to be interviewed and selected

Glad I finally was selected I start this month!!!!!

Congratulations and my program started in October so in a matter of a month I will be taking the Periop 101 Final Exam...I am now on week 2 of didactic/computer modules...we are rotating in and out of the OR to learn instruments, scrubbing in and out, charting, and the dynamics of the OR in general

It's a lot of work and studying especially the instruments...

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I just wanted to say that we both have the same name!(and spelling) Also, we both are trying to pursue an OR career! I heard it is difficult once you get on the floor to transfer, which is why I’m trying for a new graduate program in the operating room.

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Specializes in Operating Room.
On ‎11‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 8:41 PM, Nscorpiored said:

Congratulations and my program started in October so in a matter of a month I will be taking the Periop 101 Final Exam...I am now on week 2 of didactic/computer modules...we are rotating in and out of the OR to learn instruments, scrubbing in and out, charting, and the dynamics of the OR in general

It's a lot of work and studying especially the instruments...

Well let me just update all of you because I didn't mean to quote myself LOL

It's a lot of hard work but it's proven to be even harder since Covid-19 hit my orientation has been majorly effected

On one hand, I am getting a well rounded orientation simply because everyday I come in I am placed in a room with up to 2 other nurses, we are sharing procedures, and in my case I am working even harder to improve on circulating the room (patient care, urgent vs. non urgent steps, prioritizing tasks, setting up the room, grabbing the proper equipment, proper set up for the bed, etc)

It's true what the previous Perioperative group told me when I first cmae to my program that I will miss those days I could sit in a classroom all day and study from a computer

Now I spend my mornings running/tired/and worrying whether or not I will get a full 8 hours of work/hands on experience

My best advice is to hang in there

There will be days where you feel like quitting, the environment of the OR will teach you to develop a thick skin (I am not saying let anyone push around), there will be days where you feel dumb and unsure of yourself but just remember that this all apart of the process

This is the first time in my nursing career where I was not at the top of my game.

I went from being rewarded/awarded, lauded for my work as a floor nurse and now I am not progressing as well as the others

When someone gives you advice until you are out of the orientation process just nod and shake your head. While in the room, face-to-face, always after the procedure and away from prying eyes and ears, ask your preceptor for real and honest feedback

Everyone will have a different approach to each surgery and response to various staff members, but keep in mind how you speak and your demeanor can determine how they evaluate and teach you

Good luck and I will keep you all posted

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