New graduate (with experience) hoping to get into OR nursing - need advice!

Specialties Operating Room

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I recently graduated beginning of April, and planning to write my NCLEX in about two weeks (fingers crossed it goes well!)

The issue I'm having is finding a job right now. I did my final preceptorship (360 hours) in the operating room which included multiple experiences (smaller hospital so 5 specialities) including a day with anaesthesia, respiratory therapists, pre-op, scrubbing and circulating etc. I wanted to get the full experience and loved it. My preceptors said I have a really good potential to be in the OR as I picked up concepts quickly.

However in Canada, most jobs in the OR are looking for nurses with a peri-operative course behind them. My problem is that this course is very expensive and since graduating I don't have any money to afford this type of course. I've been applying for multiple OR jobs but haven't heard back yet, is there anything anyone could recommend to better my chances of getting a job in the OR? Is it possible to get a job in the OR with experience from my preceptorship? I've even applied to one operating room in person but still no calls back. I would love to start my career in the OR as this is what I'm passionate about.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

If you want to be an OR nurse and most nurses are expected to have the perioperative course, you're going to need to take the perioperative course. You do not have experience- without the nursing license, it's not nursing experience. It was a student clinical assignment. If you cannot afford to take the course at this time, then you may need to consider applying for a job in another specialty, gaining nursing experience while establishing an employment history. You can then save up the money for the perioperative course and thus make yourself a better candidate.

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My hospital pays for the periop 101 course. How much is it?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
My hospital pays for the periop 101 course. How much is it?

AORN is a US organization; OP is in Canada. But I can assure you it is definitely not cheap.

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