Perioperative program

[Neldi]

Hello,

I was wondering if there is any one out there who has taken the Perioperative Program at Regis College in Weston Ma? If so what did you think about the program and was is beneficial to you getting a job in the OR.

And if there are any managers on this forum, will you hire someone who takes a perioperative program but does not have acute care experience?

Thank you

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I've never taken that particular program, but here's my take on these types of programs:

Without a clinical component, they're completely useless. Sure, you can learn from books, but you can also do that without paying out money for a class. Hands on is what reinforces that information and helps with retaining it.

The thing about the OR is that good management knows that an extensive orientation program is needed for those without OR experience. Mine was 6 months with one on one supervision and an additional 3 months where one preceptor was kept free to act as a resource for 2-3 independent orientees.

If OR nursing is of interest to you, look for jobs that are identified as OR residencies/internships/other similar terms. They may only be offered once or twice a year, although depending on facility needs they may be more or less frequent. Currently, my facility has seen a lot of turnover and we've been holding cohorts almost every other month. In the past, we didn't have any turnover and held one cohort per year.

Finding an OR job may take time and patience, as well as taking a job in another specialty first to develop an employment history and access to internal applicant only positions. I honestly don't see much benefit to paying out money for a course whose information you may not be able to use in the foreseeable future, likely decreasing information retention even further. If you really want to work in the OR, consider joining AORN and attending meetings as a way to network.

[Neldi]

@ Rose_Queen: Thank you for your advice. This program offer 240 hours of clinical. What facility do you work at if you do not mind me asking?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Sorry, but in the interest of preserving as much anonymity as I can here at AN, I will not post where I work.

[Neldi]

@ Rose_Queen thanks for the response, I absolutely understand.

[efthimia519, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

was wondering if you ever ended up taking this program? if so, was it what you had expected and hoped for?

[Neldi]

Hi

i didnt end up taking this program.

thanks