Nurse/Surgical Tech question please help

[lovesunsets]

Hi everyone

I know someone who is in a Surgical Tech program. She told me that someone (maybe an instructor, I don't know for sure) told her something to effect of.....There are a couple "classes" that you can take after becoming a certified S.T. where you would then be able to work as a nurse.

What confuses me is that taking a "couple of classes" to become a nurse (even though already a S.T.) doesn't sound right to me.

If this is true, does that mean that you could go to school and become a S.T. then turn around and become a licensed nurse in no time?

Or- if you become a nurse, does that mean that you could take a "couple of classes" and become a Surgical Tech?

Like I said, doesn't quite sound right....but I could be wrong. I have never heard of this before.

Anyone with any input or information would be greatly appreciated!!!

[twentytenRN]

Nevermind. I was thinking backwards and thinking of something else.

It's more than a "couple classes" to progress from ST-RN. You have to complete clinical rotations as an RN student.

[juliaann]

In my state, no, working as a surg tech does not make you any more prepared for nursing school than any other healthare experience would. It certainly doesn't prepare you to bypass nursing school requirements.

You still need to take the pre-reqs, you still need to apply, you still need to get accepted, and you still need to take all the nursing courses and pass the NCLEX to practice as a nurse.

If you were already a nurse, I'm sure you could be a surgical tech if you wanted to, though you might need additional training to learn details. Of course, that doesn't make much sense to me since nurses make twice as much money as surg techs at my hospital...

Plus, my hospital won't hire someone with a "higher level" certification (LPN, RN) for "lower level" jobs (CNA, PCT, ect.) due to conflict of interest with scope of practice or something, so I doubt at least in my area, a nurse would work as a surg. tech.

[gtoko]

I was a surgical tech for many years before becoming an RN. I was awarded a point on my nsg. school application for having previous healhtcare experience. None of my surgical tech. courses transferred. My experiences as a tech. did help with nursing.

Good Luck to you.

[idahostudent2011]

I'm a scrub tech that is in the middle of nursing school(just about 1.5 semesters in) Yes, you do get points for being in the medical field but that is about it. As the other posters stated, the classes don't transfer, and you are still on the wait list for what feels like forever. You can become a surgical tech first assist for a few extra credits...and you can get your FA after you are done with nursing school(if you have scrubbing experence)

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

In my state, no, working as a surg tech does not make you any more prepared for nursing school than any other healthare experience would. It certainly doesn't prepare you to bypass nursing school requirements.

You still need to take the pre-reqs, you still need to apply, you still need to get accepted, and you still need to take all the nursing courses and pass the NCLEX to practice as a nurse.

If you were already a nurse, I'm sure you could be a surgical tech if you wanted to, though you might need additional training to learn details. Of course, that doesn't make much sense to me since nurses make twice as much money as surg techs at my hospital...

Plus, my hospital won't hire someone with a "higher level" certification (LPN, RN) for "lower level" jobs (CNA, PCT, ect.) due to conflict of interest with scope of practice or something, so I doubt at least in my area, a nurse would work as a surg. tech.

Many places still teach their RNs to scrub, which I think is smart. I get to scrub quite frequently which is nice-I miss it sometimes(I was a scrub tech before). But, basically, you're right. A hospital wouldn't hire an RN to only scrub-they'd make sure he/she circulated more than anything else.

It's more than a couple of classes, OP. I did have some of my classes transfer(anatomy, microbiology and physiology) but I still went through the whole RN program, complete with clinicals. And of course, when I graduated, I already had a job in the OR, which was cool.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

requirements for becoming qualified to take NCLEX-RN are set by each state. If the surgical tech, or anyone, has taken a transferable course applicable to a nursing degree they save a little time and money. But the requirements are the same for all. I think the tech or the instructor was confused or misinformed. The decisions made on a tech clinical rotation are not the same as for other disciplines, so the focus has to be on nursing.

[Fiona59]

In Canada, you have to be an LPN before you can train for the OR and we call them ORT/LPNs. Can work as either scrub or circulator as long as there is one RN in the room.