tring520

I've had coworkers who started out as new grads transfer to the ICU, NICU, L&D, NP school, etc. It's not impossible. That's the beauty of nursing - you can go anywhere. It depends on the hospital and glowing recommendations from your managers, directors, even docs.

We are required to charge for everything we open. Whether it be gloves, hypos, skin staplers...anything that was opened and used for the case we charge for it. It's very tedious!

I work in a 22 OR Level III hospital. Our nurses are only required to be BLS certified. The hospital will pay for ACLS classes, but management has to approve it.

The American Red Cross in Alexandria is now offering CNA training. Right now they're offering day classes M-F from about 8a-4p. I forgot how long the program lasts (maybe 6-8 weeks?). You may want to check with other Red Cross chapters and see if they're offering the same program.

Ask your nurse educator if he/she has books on hand that you can borrow. My nurse educator had Berry & Kohn's Operating Room Technique that she let my fellow interns and I borrow during our orientation. I prefer Alexander's Care of the Patient because it is more detailed as far as anatomy and various surgeries. It also has better illustrations and pictures.

Hi, I'm currently in my 5th month of orientation (1 more month to go!). I went straight to the OR after graduation. I shadowed in the OR three times during school, but knew after the first time I shadowed that it was the place for me. There were three places in my area that were hiring new grads into the OR. I interviewed at two of the hospitals and was offered a new grad position at both places. I wasn't an SNA in periop, but I worked as a tech on a med/surg unit during school. None of my fellow OR orientees worked as SNA's in periop. My suggestion to you is to shadow in different hospital OR's as much as you can during nursing school. E-mail nurse recruiters expressing your interest in shadowing, or ask your clinical instructors if you could shadow for a few hours in the OR during clinical. This will get your foot in the door and possibly make contacts with OR directors or OR nurse educators (perfect for when you're ready to interview for jobs). Good luck!