cilla.bella

I am a surgical tech who is in the last month of nursing school. When I did the surgical tech program (6 years ago) I got hired before my externship was over. Getting hired fresh out of school depends on where you live, how many hospitals (or surgery centers) are in the area, your personality, your specialty, your eagerness to learn (even the specialties that nobody likes.. like eyes and neuro), and the impression you leave with that facility (SO strive, learn quickly, be helpful, don't act like a know-it-all, don't try to be best friends with the surgeon (super tacky), be quick with room turn overs, and learn where supplies and instrumentation are located in the OR as soon as possible and where to find it if supplies is "out" or if instrumentation is in processing (this makes life a lot easier). As far as the transition into nursing, you'll have complete prerequisites before applying to a nursing program. You can complete a lot of them online actually from your local community college. Inquire with your school of choice about what the requirements are (NAT test, immunizations, CPR cards, background checks, prerequisites. . .). While you are working as a surgical tech and you are completing the prerequisites, decide if OR nursing is where you want to be. Observe the nurse, check out/buy books on postoperative nursing (or ask the OR educator to borrow some information). And when you are accepted into the nursing program, if you intend on working as tech through the schooling, you'll probably have to adjust your schedule to the evening shift or to the weekend shift, so just a head's up on that... but if you can get away with not working during the nursing program, that would be even better so you can focus on ALLLL the stuff you have to learn...which is A LOT!!!