Periop 101 w/o a job?

Specialties Operating Room

Published

  • by Lilme04
    Specializes in PACU, Case Management.

I'm a new ADN graduate, who has had her license for less than a month. I am 99.9% sure that I want to be a periop RN, either as a circulator or possibly in PACU. I had a brief preceptorship in an OR right before I graduated, and loved it!

My question is this, I am hunting for jobs, and of course they all require experience. Is is possible for me to take an online periop 101 class without having a job? That way I can add it to my resume. I live in a small town (Northern CA), not near any place that either offers the course in house, or even a college nearby that has it, at least that I've found so far.

My second question; should I join AORN? Will this help me in the long run?

Thanks for any and all words of wisdom!

daVinciNurse

76 Posts

Specializes in OR.

yes, by all means join AORN, it will give you a slight advantage over other applicants for jobs who are not members. and don't just "join" AORN on paper-- get involved with your local chapter to network and meet nurses who may have the insider-info you need.

Mr. & Mrs. RN

147 Posts

Specializes in OR.

Periop 101 costs around $1000 and I'm not sure you are able to access it outside of an employer. You're better option might be to try and find a place that is doing a new grad program, however they are extremely competitive. Your next option would be to look for a job at an outpatient surgery center or doctor's office that does minor outpatient procedures/surgeries. That's how I landed my main OR job. I started out doing minor foot surgeries of all things. We didn't even use cautery, but it was enough basic experience to get into the main. Working on the floor won't give you a leg up and won't prepare you for the OR...at all.

Guest463066

20 Posts

I am currently enrolled in Perio 101 in my OR internship. Current pricing is over $700. Although the class itself is comprised of online modules and readings in 2 textbooks, the clinical portion is strongly reccomended by AORN. If you do get accepted into an internship most likely the periop 101 course will be integrated into it.

My internship is 6-7 months long. The first month is straight didactic with online Periop 101 modules, skills labs, observations, and guest speakers. The next 6 months will be all clinical, including scrub and circulating rotations in all service specialties. After the clinical portion, the Periop 101 final is taken. Without the clinical portion, the modules dont come together as well.

Personally, I don't think having taken Periop 101 prior to application will help you much. However joining AORN and attending conferences may show interest to future employers. My hospital has 2 internships a year.

NewgradRN3

4 Posts

Hi everyone... Question...If you complete the Periop 101 do you have to work as a scrub/circulatory nurse or can you request the PACU?

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN

1,116 Posts

Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

you need icu experience before you can work in the pacu.

Editorial Team / Admin

Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN

6 Articles; 11,662 Posts

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Hi everyone... Question...If you complete the Periop 101 do you have to work as a scrub/circulatory nurse or can you request the PACU?

You can request PACU, but PeriOp101 won't really help you there. PeriOp101 really focuses on the duties of the RN circulator. PeriOp101 was created by AORN, the specialty organization for OR nurses. The majority of the info in the class doesn't really translate to PACU.

you need icu experience before you can work in the pacu.

Depends on the facility. Mine hires new grads/ RNs without ICU experience into the PACU.

+ Add a Comment