Pediatric Nurse interested in the O.R.

Jeff RN · Aug 24, 2009

So I've been a pediatric nurse for almost six months, and even though I love it, my passion out of nursing school was to become an O.R. nurse. I was wondering, what steps or classes I need to take to become an O.R. nurse? And for you O.R. nurses, do y'all have side jobs on the floor?
Thanks

The best way is to get a job in the OR in a hospital that has a nurse intern program. They will teach you all the skills you will need. If there are no OR internships in your area, you can enroll in the perioperative 101 course available at some community colleges. An OR internship is the preferred method however, because you get practical experience at the facility that you will be working. I have never met an OR nurse that worked on the floor on the side. I have met an OR nurse that did home health on the side, however if you want overtime there is usually plenty of on call hours available. The nurses that I work with who once worked on the floor would never return to that. God bless the floor nurses, but its a totally different culture.

MamaCheese · Aug 24, 2009

I work strictly in the OR. I have absolutely no interest what-so-ever in returning to floor nursing ever, ever, ever!!! Take a poll amongst OR nurses and I doubt you'll find many, if any, that would ever return to floor nursing. Good luck:)

jerrycRN · Sep 10, 2009

thanks for the advice....but i was wondering, for all you O.R. nurses have you had prior med./surg. experience before working in the O.R.?

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Sep 11, 2009

I went straight to the OR after nursing school..I worked as a surgical technologist before I was a nurse, so I knew the OR was for me. Many people go to specialties after school, it's more acceptable now.

I've toyed with the idea of going to an ICU for a year or so, but that's only because I may want to be a CRNA someday.

Summers97 · Sep 11, 2009

I went straight into the OR from school as well. I managed to secure a NA position in the OR while I was in school. This gave me a great opportunity to learn the routines and people in the OR and made it easier to get a RN position. Prior to this I was a PCT on a Med / Surg floor and knew then I did not want to be a floor nurse. There is enough to learn in the OR to keep you busy for a long time. OR nursing is a night and day difference compared to floor nursing, and never the twain shall meet. I sometimes go to the GI lab to start IVs or to interview patient for procedures when they need help and the OR os slow but that is rare. Plenty of call shifts to pick up from your co-workers.