Operating Room Nurse?

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Hello. I am sorry if I am not posting this question in the right area (I'm new here). I will be signing up for nursing school in November with hopes of obtaining my RN (Associates degree). Eventually I do plan to move on to BSN in nursing but I have a daughter so I decided to start out slow. I am very much interested in becoming a Peri-operative/Operating Room nurse. I've done a bit of research online and found out in order to get your certification to work in the OR that you must have your RN license and have two years of experience under your belt. You also must have 2400 hours of experience in the OR. My question is - how do you get the 2400 hours of experience in the OR if most jobs require you have your certification to work in the OR? Any help would be highly appreciated!

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Specializes in ICU, SICU, Burns, ED, Cath lab, and EMS.

Many large medical centers have periop nsg programs which readies you for the OR . Most places dont require your CORN right away. Good luck in your education and specialization plans.

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Depends on your area. My local hospital is hiring GN's (Graduate nurses who have not yet sat for NCLEX) for OR circulating nurse positions. They are putting them into an intensive training program. It kind of exciting that some places are giving new grads a chance, I guess the way they see it is that if they take you right out of school they can mold and shape you to fit their needs. Good luck, you might be surprised at the opportunities you can find after school.

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Specializes in ED, OR, SAF, Corrections.

Many places will train you for a minimum return investment - you agree to remain employed by that hospital 1-2 years after you complete their training. Some of these places will take new grads with no prior nursing experience, it depends on how badly they want people.

To be obtain OR certification (CNOR), the requirements are a 1) current unrestricted licensure, 2) be currently working full or part time in the OR, 3) have completed a minimum of 2 years (2,400 hours) of experience in perioperative nursing, with a minimum of 50% (1200 hours) in the intraoperative setting.

So you cannot become certified without first working in the OR. Keep your eyes peeled for postings offering the training program - that's really the only way to get into the OR - via some form of training program. The OR is a different animal and no one can just be dropped into it ready to perform. Even after training, you'll require time to adjust and put it all together independently.

I went into the OR from over 10 years in the ED/Trauma thinking if I could do that, I could do anything, and while I could (eventually) before I could I had my ass was handed to me more than once. Like I said, it's a different animal, NOBODY just drops into the OR running without being trained - 6-12 months of 40 hour weeks, depending on facility It's a great place to work, I'm going on 12 years in the OR and I still love it. Good Luck!

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Totally depends on the hospital. My local hospital hired its last 2 RN's (one ADN, the other was a BSN---they hired her as a GN, but then she had trouble passing the NCLEX, so they trained her as a surgical tech until she passed and got her RN lisence.) right after graduation. Clearly NO OR experience other than observing during nursing school

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the OR nursing forum

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