Ruzan

Mostly I browsed the articles and took advantage of the continuing education opportunities (free, BTW). Plus, when you join, you are automatically signed up to join the ANA (American Nurses Association), which also has some benefits. Nothing will prepare you for the shock of interoperative nursing. It's such a different world than what we are used to, but I love it so much. Call your local hospital after Covid has settled and ask if you can shadow a circulating nurse.

Hey 2020 grad ? One thing that I did that I felt impressed my employer during my interview was letting them know that I joined AORN while I was still in school to start familiarizing myself with terminology and procedures. AORN has a student membership that is only 20 bucks a year and I found it extremely valuable. I knew from the moment I got accepted into nursing school where I wanted to be. I found out who the nursing manager for my local hospital's OR was and started communicating with her as my graduation approached. As far as my 3 month comment goes, I didn't mean to sound overconfident, the case would be successful, but it wouldn't be as smooth as it needs to be heh.

It has been almost a full month since the lockdown began here in Indiana, and we are doing three to four cases a day. Us Periop 101 students have been allowed to stay in the OR so we can continue training. I feel bad reading some of the replies on this threat about the lackluster orientation experience that some of you have had to go through. I have been in the OR for 3 months and I am beginning to feel confident to be able to circulate independently. There is still so much that I do not know, but in time I will get there.

It's just such a weird time right now. I hope everybody on these boards stays safe, and good luck to my fellow periop 101 dudes ?

We are still making our way through the program, it has been rough since all elective surgeries have been canceled, but we have been able to get into cases to be able to see how they flow. it's been a challenge to try to focus on doing my modules during all of this, but the education department at my hospital is helping.

This describes me perfectly! All throughout clinicals, I knew that I loved taking care of people and being a nurse was my dream, but bedside nursing was not for me, at least not in a high ratio med surg unit. I'm getting ready to start my second week of the periop 101 program and I am so excited to learn everything about my new career. I am also thankful that my location allows us to scrub as I think that will alleviate burnout and allow me to broaden my skillset.

I will approach this in an obviously biased reply. I just graduated in December and took my NCLEX last week and passed. Today was my first day of a 6-month AORN Periop 101 nurse Residency program at my local hospital. Nursing is a second career for me, I left my career as a computer programmer to chase something that I am passionate about. I entered nursing school with the goal of becoming a circulating and scrub nurse. I get where you're coming from that nurses probably should have a year of bedside nursing, but I am thankful that my local hospital does not require it. My interests in nursing start and stop in the operating room. These first couple of weeks are kind of cool though, they have me following a patient through pre-op, in the OR, and through pacu. I believe this will help me see the whole picture of patient care in the perioperative area.