How much OR experience do you need?

If you are brand new to the OR, I'd say about a year. IMO, it should also be a year working on your own, taking call etc. Makes you more marketable the more experience you have.

So basically 2-2.5 years. That's kind of what I thought too. Would you say that the CNOR would add to that, meaning would you be competitive with a 6 year experienced nurse who didn't have the CNOR?

Like I said, I like where I am, but sometimes to get to where you want to be, you have to move jobs and I value all of your advice and shared knowledge!

Thanks.

gOOOd Question FlyOR...I'm interested in the replies!

Not to discourage you from getting certification, but many places don't really care about the CNOR. I myself was going to take it, but it's expensive and we get no benefit in my facility for having it. At the end of the day, experience is always going to matter most.

I agree. My facility wants you to get certifications but really doesn't help you do it, nor do they pay for it. I have noticed that most OR jobs do usually state CNOR preferred etc. Given the state of the economy, as well as the desire of Magnet facilities to have certfications on the roster, I just wondered if it gave an edge.

That said, I am getting it for me. I love the OR and want to be as good as I can be. I've just been thinking about my future lately and you can't really ask OR co-workers about job changing and how it works, whether some things are important enough to switch for and the adjustment time required. It's almost like starting over when you switch jobs, new computer systems, different methods, different doctors etc. However, as I said, sometimes to get where you want to be you have to change.

Thanks very much!