How to switch from bedside to OR

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Hello fellow RNs!

I started my nursing career on a MedSurg/Tele floor specializing in Urology a year ago. I've since noticed a job posting at my workplace for a Urology Operating Room RN position.

Not that I'm eager to move or leave where I'm at because it's been pretty great and pretty entertaining, but I was really enticed (and curious to be honest, enough to jump in head first into this unknown world). The only requirement I dont qualify for is 1 Year of Operating Room experience - makes sense.

BUT, my question to you is, is there any way possible to transition from bedside to OR? I'm not sure they would splurge on training me again (which I know the OR new grads they hired went through for a year) so how is this possible?

I have half the mind to just turn in an application without the OR experience and see where it gets me, but the other half tells me to find a more reasonable route.

What are your thoughts??

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Specializes in Operating room..

Go for it!

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.

Find out who the OR manager is and send an email asking to shadow for a day. That shows that you are interested, and will also give you an idea if it's something you'd really want to do. I went to the OR from an ortho unit. I was hired with 3 other nurses, and 2 of them went back to their floors within 2 weeks because it was not what they had imagined.

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Specializes in Med/Oncology, Emergency, Surgery.

I transferred to the OR from the ER. It was definitely not what I imagined, but I am adjusting and I think I will like it just fine. In my OR there are a lot of personalities to navigate, so it's been a challenge. We also have specialty teams, and they are not really thrilled about a new person joining their team, so that's been a challenge as well. I agree with the shadowing advice. I didn't do that to begin with, but I don't think it would have changed my mind.

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