To become an OR Nurse...

Specialties Operating Room

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You are reading page 3 of To become an OR Nurse...

springchick1, ADN, RN

1 Article; 1,769 Posts

I'm a scrub tech now and am in my second of an ADN program. I would say about half of our nurses have their ADN, not their BSN. My boss like hire nurses right out of school so that she is able to train them how she would like. She looks at what nursing program you have attended because there are some she just won't hire from. I absolutely LOVE scrubbing but I would recommend going straight to nursing school if you have that option. It will save you so much time and money. Good luck to you!

adavanessa2

2 Posts

I am from Texas and it is hard anywhere for a new grad. Once you actually finish nursing school ADN or BSN which are hard to get into too also. Apply for both and take the first one to accept you. Then when you pass the NCLEX march into the HR office of all hospitals and demand a job until you get one. Most are internships.

adavanessa2

2 Posts

ADN programs are a set schedule also. But maybe not all programs are

catman88

72 Posts

Glad I found this thread!! While I am interested in other fields of nursing, I have always wanted to be an O.R. Nurse. Circulator...first assist...don't care, just want to be in the O.R. I have gotten the opportunity to shadow surg techs and OR RNs in my current job and I know it's what I want! I am applying to the rn program as well as the surgical tech program this winter...like I said, just want to be in the OR, though realistically and not trying to sound like a jerk id rather be an RN because it's more interesting to me and ST would be a pay cut. Thanks everyone for your input! You help more people than you know!

ETA: By "rn program" I meant the ADN program at my local CC which bridges to a BSN at my local university. Just wanted to clarify and not start any fires!

To be an OR nurse, you need your BSN.

Not at the hospital system I work for.

AZMOMO2

1,194 Posts

Specializes in Cardiac Care.

I actually am starting a program offered by the CC that I received my ADN at for their Peri-Operative Program. It's 2 semesters long. The first semester is lab and lectures. We learn to scrub and circulate on General Surgery and must complete 120 cases. Semester 2 is 400 hours of an Internship at sites that have agreed to offer positions in the OR upon completion. After all we are working for them for free and technically we will already have completed the PeriOp 101 course and the 400 hours are "Precepted Cases" so it's a long job interview. We receive Certificates of Completion along with an opportunity to network. I am pretty excited about it. I already have a full-time position so I am willing to forgo the fact that this OR position is merely an Internship, but they do have the option to hire us before the end of our 400 hours. I plan on going back for my BSN and will start classes once this Program is over. The company I work for gets a 10% discount on tuition from one of our local Universities so we shall see. But around here where jobs are tight and competition is strong, I am hoping this will give me a leg up over some of the competition because I will technically have OR experience that isn't just clinical time but actual solo cases.

I like this option because my actions give me a better chance as an interview than my words do... I just hate interviewing :-)

inshallamiami

203 Posts

I actually am starting a program offered by the CC that I received my ADN at for their Peri-Operative Program. It's 2 semesters long. The first semester is lab and lectures. We learn to scrub and circulate on General Surgery and must complete 120 cases. Semester 2 is 400 hours of an Internship at sites that have agreed to offer positions in the OR upon completion. After all we are working for them for free and technically we will already have completed the PeriOp 101 course and the 400 hours are "Precepted Cases" so it's a long job interview. We receive Certificates of Completion along with an opportunity to network. I am pretty excited about it. I already have a full-time position so I am willing to forgo the fact that this OR position is merely an Internship, but they do have the option to hire us before the end of our 400 hours. I plan on going back for my BSN and will start classes once this Program is over. The company I work for gets a 10% discount on tuition from one of our local Universities so we shall see. But around here where jobs are tight and competition is strong, I am hoping this will give me a leg up over some of the competition because I will technically have OR experience that isn't just clinical time but actual solo cases.

I like this option because my actions give me a better chance as an interview than my words do... I just hate interviewing :-)

If only you could bring that little cutie from your avatar....I am SURE they would hire you. :)

I have my BSN. My goal is to be in the OR. But, everyone seems to tell me that a CCRN, is what I need first, then do a little time in the ICU. Right now, I am on a med-tele floor. I have been nursing for 3 years. Are these the right steps to take. I am looking for a CCRN course, any suggestions?

Specializes in PCCN.
I have my BSN. My goal is to be in the OR. But, everyone seems to tell me that a CCRN, is what I need first, then do a little time in the ICU. Right now, I am on a med-tele floor. I have been nursing for 3 years. Are these the right steps to take. I am looking for a CCRN course, any suggestions?

I think you have to have so many hours( like 2000?) in the ICU to sit for the CCRN exam.

Since when do they say you need CCRN to be an OR nurse? Boy have things changed :(.

When I interviewed 9 years ago as a new grad, they told me I only needed 1 years on the floors before they would consider me. (Never went back, as I live to far to make call )

Now, if it's a specialty like cath lab or EP lab, yes, you NEED CCRN and ICU experience. That is coming from experience( a not good one)

Editorial Team / Admin

Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN

6 Articles; 11,662 Posts

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I have my BSN. My goal is to be in the OR. But, everyone seems to tell me that a CCRN, is what I need first, then do a little time in the ICU. Right now, I am on a med-tele floor. I have been nursing for 3 years. Are these the right steps to take. I am looking for a CCRN course, any suggestions?

Rather than listen to "everyone", find out what various hospitals in your area require. When I applied for jobs after graduation, two hospitals took new grads straight into an OR residency while the third required a year of med/surg before allowing any nurse to apply for jobs in any other specialty. I don't see the correlation between CCRN and OR nursing; they are completely different specialties. The certification for OR nurses is the CNOR, which requires 2 years and 2400 hours of experience within the perioperative specialty, with half of those hours actually in the OR.

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