newbeeORRN

I am a new RN, I went to school at a small community college and got a two year degree in July this year. My past experience in OR or nursing in general were very limited. I worked in LTC for less than a year and as a vet assistant durring school(where I got surgery experience). I knew from the time I started school I wanted to work in the OR. I sent out resumes and applications to more hospitals than I can count. I kept running into the whole we want you to have some experience to work in the OR or at least two years of acute care experience. I hated that, how are you to get experience if no one will take a chance on you. I interviewed at a rural hospital, 6 hours from where I was living, for a surgery RN. They took a gamble and hired me. I relocated and have been at the job for two months now. My supervisor/mentor/trainer has been a sugical nurse for 30 years, and she tells me all the time how quick I am picking things up, quicker than any other nurse without experience she has trained. Not only do I pre-op, circulate, and recover, I am also working in Endo. It has been the greatest experience I could ask for. I know I have a very long road ahead of me but I couldn't ask for a better mentor and surgical team to work with and some pretty nice docs too. All I have to say is... to all RN's that really want a job in surgery, and don't have experience, don't give up!