qustion about a nursing career in surgery?

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 30, 2007

hello all. i'm going back to school to get a nursing degree and i am interested in working in the operating room. if i decide to go on and get a masters or a NP degree, are there more jobs to work in the operating room? someone was telling me that only PA's work in the operating room with the surgeon...is that true?
hushpup

To work as an RN in the OR, you do not need a Masters degree, nor advanced nursing (NP) licensure. Certainly PAs do not do the same jobs as RNs, so therefore they are not even in the same discussion. Many facilities would require you to have a year or two of med-surg experience first, some do not.

If you wish to work as an RN in the OR, then you simply need to become an RN :) I have heard of places that have LPNs in surgery, but in my experience they are pretty few and far between.

Something to keep in mind, however, is that what you want to do prior to entering nursing school (regarding a specialty) may not be the same thing you end up doing later. Usually, they are different, as you learn what each area of nursing entails. What looked great one day might look a whole lot worse when you actually work there, and vice versa. I didn't think I'd ever want to work med-surg, and I'm now really enjoying it!

Keep options open, but if you want to be a nurse for any reason, I wish you the best!

KristyleRN · Aug 31, 2007

Hi Hushpupgirl. That's wonderful that you're going back to school for nursing and that you have some interest in the operating room. I am an OR nurse and it is a great as well as an intense specialty to work in. In my particular hospital, there are only around 1 or 2 NP's working with the surgeons, so there are positions for NP's in the OR. But a lot of the surgeons do have PA's for their assistant. Another route you can take is the RNFA (registered nurse first assistant). It's a certification you can get to assist the surgeon. Well good luck with school and with your future career!