Masters degree for OR?

Some of the docs who come to our hospital have NPs (who work directly for them) who do the pre-op assessments for the operative patients, assist during the surgery (if they are also RNFAs) and then complete the post op care such as removing sutures, wound care etc.

At my school the CNL program was for students who already had a BS in another field and wanted to do an accelerated BSN/Masters.

What is your goal? What would you want to do with the Master's?

I'm not sure yet, but just wanted to know what my options are! I know I would like to stay within the OR, but I didn't know if there was a good master's program that is geared toward the OR.

Thanks for this thread. I'm currently working in the OR as a nurse tech, and I would like to stay here after graduation. I also would like to continue on into a MSN/DNP role. Some of our surgeons have NPs that work much like the previous poster stated. I'm thinking that may be my best route at the moment.

Some OR nurses get MSN education or administration. My Master's is Public Administration with concentration in Administration and Heath Policy. Helps with understanding the regularory/administrative side. Good Luck.

I got my Master's as a Family Nurse Practitioner and some physicians need them in their office and as an assistant in surgery. Check out that option. You would need to choose a specialty and learn how to scrub and assist proficiently but you could start gaining information now.

Thats good to know. To pursue a FNP degree would I have to have extensive acute care experience as well as OR experience?

This is my concern as well. I am almost finish with my RN-BSN bridge, and would like to continue on later down the road. (I think I better take a break!!) :)

It's not a master's degree but there is always the CNOR.

If you don't mind joing the military, Uniformed Services University has a Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist program. It is a Masters degree program for OR nurses to practice as a CNS in the OR. The website is www.usuhs.mil

There you will see the program. As I am aware, it is the only master's program for OR nurses to practice at the advanced level and can still remain in the OR. There aren't any civilian schools that offer the Periop CNS program. In the military, we use Periop CNS as Nurse Managers, Educators, and some even have the option of focusing their MSN degree in the RNFA Role. The nurses that attend this program work for the Army, Air Force, Navy, or Public Health Service Corps.

I did have a co-worker who was in the Navy and a OR nurse, who completed his FNP and then signed on with a surgeon's group and he would come to the OR and first-assist since he was also CRNFA. Then after surgery, he would do post-op care/orders and follow-up for the group. It was a great gig for him.

Hope this helps

Antonio Fisher, RN, MSN, CNOR, CMSRN