LPN or RN to be a scrub nurse?

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 21, 2009

Most hospitals hire surgical techs to scrub- they're cheaper. It's an associate's program (at least where I work). There are a few LPNs who have been there forever who had on the job training as STs, but all new hires for scrub positions are STs. RNs only circulate in my hospital unless there are multiple ST call offs. We do have one RNFA, who before attending RNFA courses was a circulator.

ORstudent · Dec 31, 2009

My hospital is the same, only one nurse that scrubs regularly. All of the rest are scrub techs. As far as LPN or RN question, in my area, it is extremely hard to get hired in a hospital as a LPN. Pretty much all the LPNs in my area work in LTCFs. If scrubbing is all you are interested in you might want to look into becoming a scrub tech. But if you really want to be a nurse in a hospital I would say the RN program is your best bet. You might want to see if your local hospitals have online job postings or talk to their HR dept to see what they hire in your area. I am a nursing student and am currently working in the OR and learning to circulate. All our nurses are RNs and I will say that they all scrub from time to time, but honestly why would a hospital pay an RNs to scrub when they could have a ST do it for far less $$. Good luck and I hope you find the OR position thats right for you!

TXJDRN · Dec 31, 2009

I agree with the other respondents that if your ultimate goal is to be a scrub nurse, the most efficient route is to find a community college that offers a surgical technician course. Then, if you decide that you want to seek more education in the future you can pursue your LPN, ADN, or BSN. I've worked in the OR since 1992 in military hospitals and very few of the scrub techs were LPNs. Good luck to you!

Justanotherday · Dec 31, 2009

Thank you so much for the replies! Turns out our local community college has a Surgical Technician program. I start on my prerequisites next week!