How do I get into the OR as a new grad?

[amari]

Hi all,

I graduated in December 2015 from a well-respected community college in the Seattle area, and many of my classmates were already accepted into residencies at Swedish and Providence. I'm in the middle of planning a wedding, so I've put my career and education on hold for a bit...I haven't applied to a resident program yet, due to the aforementioned wedding and needing time off for planning and everything (which Swedish, at least, states that it will not grant at all during the residency).

OR is really the only area I feel much interest about...I've been an LPN for 10 years, working on transitional care units in nursing homes and in outpatient dermatology, so admittedly, I'm kind of reluctant to do anything I'm not very interested in, like med surg. I probably would be a lot more flexible if not for that 10 years! Anyway, from what I've seen with the OR RN residency information I've been looking at, they're really leaning heavily on wanting BSN level, or even better, MSN. The same hospital where I saw "MSN preferred" under the surgical RN residency was also perfectly willing to hire an ADN for the CCU residency, which seems a bit odd to me. The upcoming Swedish cohorts don't mention anything about OR residencies in their job board postings, either. They did invite our school to an OR recruiting event, which makes it seem like they're cool with hiring ADNs into their OR residencies. I plan on attending the event. But because of that 10 years of experience, I'm pretty much always highly suspicious of anything that seems like it might be smooth sailing, when it comes to nursing. That has NOT been my experience at all, in this career.

Anyway, I'll get to the point. If I can't get directly in to a perioperative RN residency due to not having the BSN, or whatever the case may be, what's my next-best course of action for getting there eventually? I don't really want to work in CCU or med surg, but if it will get me into the OR eventually, I'm willing. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Thanks!

[ladyvp05]

There is hope I got into an OR residency as a new grad with only an ADN. I will start this June. I actually applied for an ICU position, but I told the recruiter I thought I was better suited for OR and she agreed to let me interview with the head of the OR residency. I left the interview believing I didn't have a shot in hell at the job. But i got it. Anyways, I've been been a medical assistant at a doctors office for 3 years. I really focused on discussing my past experience. I told them I assisted in minor procedures such as pap smears, skin biopsy, and sebaceous cyst removal. If you've used sterile technique for anything talk about that.

[amari]

Thanks! I'm definitely going to mention my interest in OR to the recruiters. I hope something goes my way, in that regard! Congrats on getting the job!

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

Maybe you could call the managers of the OR and see if you could observe for a few days. I will say that you may have a hard time getting into a new head residency program since you will no longer be a new grad by the time you apply and that there will probably be a whole new group of new grads out there.

[Mdsokol]

Apply to the positions. The demand for OR nurses is is high. At least in Austin, TX. I started in the OR in Feb of this year and graduated with and ADN in december. I applied to a residency before I even finished my last semester. I will agree with you that they would much rather have a BSN nurse than an ADN, but don't let that bother you. In my area the nurses loathed the BSN students and loved when us community college students came. The BSN programs generally are full of young kids with zero life experience and don't know what they're doing. A lot of ADN students have chosen this career as a second profession, so they come to the table as much more professional. Irrelevant info. Don't sell yourself short because you have an ADN. Like you said you have 10 years experience as an LPN, that's huge.

They will hire the best candidate based on qualities. Nursing schools teach absolutwly minimal information about what being a circulator is really about, and there's a huge learning curve. Show you're PASSIONATE. Show up to the interview ready to ask questions, ask for a tour. Make sure you present yourself as a team player. Being a team player is huge. Show that you have a calm demeanor under pressure and you can handle the worst of surgeons.

A residency program will be your best bet. They will likely pay you much less, but the training is necessary and worth it! The OR is insanely fun, and I couldn't see myself going anywhere else. Well, maybe ICU to eventually become a CRNA but then I'd come back to the OR where I belong.

[APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP]

I was an LPN for 15 years before I became an ADN RN. Not one single place, to this day, ever gave me credit for that 15 years experience.

I really wanted to work ICU. I was burned out on M/S, however, I was seen as not having had any prior experience.

I even got put into a "new grad" program for a year. It was a job and a paycheck. I figured if they wanted to pay me extra to teach me how to take a blood sugar and transfer someone out of a bed and into a wheelchair, there was a lot worse things that could happen to me.

I applied for ICU, but there were no positions that were going to any new grads.

So ~ I spent a ton of money on my own to learn as much about critical care as I could. I paid over $600 for a 7 week critical care training course. I paid for my own ACLS & PALS. I took a TNCC course. I took beginning, intermediate, and advanced hemodynamics. And so on, and so forth.

When I finally got an interview for an ICU position, I was able to demonstrate that I had all the bells and whistles, and the facility didn't even have to pay to send me to training. I got hired and have worked in ICU ever since. (Now on-call).

My area was saturated with nurses wanting to get into ICU. I barely stood a chance as an inexperienced RN without training.

If you can get hired straight away ~ I say go for it. If not, then just "fake it till you make it"!

(Get your own training)

[XpedX, BSN]

The hospital I work at is currently looking to hire new grads into the Periop 101 program. Why? Because of a huge shortage of nurses in the operating room, not only here but all over. I suspect there is a shortage in other speciality areas as well, but only know of the operating room. So there are opportunities out there to be accepted into the OR as a new grad.

Good Luck!

-Jess

[XpedX, BSN]

The hospital I work at is currently looking to hire new grads into the Periop 101 program. Why? Because of a huge shortage of nurses in the operating room, not only here but all over. I suspect there is a shortage in other speciality areas as well, but only know of the operating room. So there are opportunities out there to be accepted into the OR as a new grad.

And as Mdsokol said show you are passionate about the OR. When I interviewed for Periop Internship, I expressed I knew I was meant to be in the OR the first time I shadowed an OR RN. This specific thing will catch most interviewing OR RNs' attentions because the OR is not for everyone and takes a certain kind of person. They hear this and know exactly what you are talking about because they were there too once. Ask to shadow someone before you even get an interview, it will make you stick out and will give you something to talk about.

Good Luck!

-Jess

[amari]

Thanks! Great tips! I think I could interview well for the OR because it won't be hard for me to feel passionate about it. I've been really lucky to observe many times, between the LPN and RN programs. Even got to see a CABG. It's the only area of nursing I really get excited about. I applied to the OR residency at Harborview (level 1 trauma center in Seattle) and really got into writing about why I'd be an asset. So I don't think it'll be hard to be passionate. Thanks for the advice!

[amari]

Thanks Jess! Again, more great advice. Thank you so much. I'll definitely keep all this in mind, going forward. In Seattle, looks like there are a lot of OR openings right now, but not a lot of residencies specifically for OR. I might apply to some of those that don't require BSN... Won't hurt! Thanks for the tips!

[amari]

Wow, no credit for being an LPN? That makes my blood boil. My LPN classmates have gotten credit, at least financially speaking, and have gotten into residencies as well. I admire you not putting up with that bull, though. You did it on your own, which should not have been the case, but you did it. I think that's awesome.

[amari]

Thanks ladyvp. I do have some dermatology experience, do I'll definitely bring that up. I feel pretty confident that I have the enthusiasm to get the job, is just a matter of getting an interview! thanks for the advice!