Periop 101 Schedule

[newmom17]

Hello all!

So lots happening on the career front! I have been working in various MedSurg settings for the last 3 years and have always known I would move on to do other things. One of those things that I am currently applying and waiting to hear back about is NP school, which made me start considering what I actually wanted to do if I was able to obtain my NP license and I decided I really would love to be in the OR. 

Fast-forward to now, I applied to the Periop101 program at VCU and just received an email with more details about the program. Besides the fact that I have to pay almost $800 up front to even participate (which I'm willing to do, but seems weird) I am confused about the actual schedule requirements. Aside from the regularly scheduled shifts there seems to be other requirements such as so many (I believe 6 4-hour on-call shifts in a 6 week period as well as something called off-shifts and relief shifts. Does anyone have experience in this program and can offer any insight to what this actual looks like on a weekly schedule?  

My concern is that currently I work 3 12's a week which is rotated with my fiance's schedule that is also 3 12's which helps us make sure someone is also around to watch our two small kids. The only saving grace is that we only have self-scheduling so there's flexibility in whatever schedule we have. But do you think that an OR program requiring so many additional hours would stretch us in the childcare department?

Thanks for the input. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

That $800 is likely the seat cost for Periop 101. Current prices are $995 per seat up to 10 seats purchased, then decreases slightly thereafter. Some places eat the cost of the program and consider the cost of orientation, apparently VCU doesn't do that.

On call shifts are time where the facility can call you and expect you on the unit ready to accept a patient in a very short time frame. At my facility, that time frame is 30 minutes from time of call to ready to wheel the patient into the OR. Yes, that can lead to issues with child care as you will need to have a back up for your back up where you have someone ready to take your kids as soon as you get that call if your husband is working.

Off shift and relief shifts are typically any shifts that are not 0700-1500. In my facility, that would be the 1100-1900 shift that is responsible for lunch relief and relieving the rooms still running at 1500. It also includes the 1500-2300 shift responsible for relieving rooms still running at 1500 and any urgent/emergent cases that get added after normal working hours. While 2300-0700 is also considered an off shift at my facility, there is a dedicated team of staff who have chosen to work that shift and other staff typically only have to rotate to cover vacations and FMLAs. All staff below a certain seniority level are expected to be scheduled for a set number of relief and off shifts per 6 week schedule. Pretty much the only staff who have the seniority to be above the seniority cut off have been there 15 years or longer.

All of those expectations are things you'll want to clarify and carefully evaluate before accepting a position if you are offered one.