Really Wanting To Start Nursing Career In The OR

Circl8r · Mar 20, 2009

Congrats on starting school, and kudos for your interest in the OR. There are opportunities out there, I would recommend checking with your local hospitals.

KayceeCA · Mar 20, 2009

I knew when I started nursing school that I wanted to work in the OR. Rather than wait until I graduated from nursing school, I checked area hospitals to see if there were any opportunities for nursing students to work in the OR while still in school. I found a hospital that had a nurse externship opportunity in the OR, applied for that, and was accepted. For the last year of nursing school, I worked in the OR. I knew that as an extern I had an excellent chance of being hired in the OR upon graduation, and I was. Not only was it an excellent opportunity to get a head start on my OR orientation, it took away a lot of my worry about whether I would be able to go straight to the OR when I graduated.

phluteloop · Mar 21, 2009

I knew when I started nursing school that I wanted to work in the OR. Rather than wait until I graduated from nursing school, I checked area hospitals to see if there were any opportunities for nursing students to work in the OR while still in school. I found a hospital that had a nurse externship opportunity in the OR, applied for that, and was accepted. For the last year of nursing school, I worked in the OR. I knew that as an extern I had an excellent chance of being hired in the OR upon graduation, and I was. Not only was it an excellent opportunity to get a head start on my OR orientation, it took away a lot of my worry about whether I would be able to go straight to the OR when I graduated.

Hello everyone,

Thank you for the info! I'm in the same boat as techraider77. I'm year away from graduation, and I'm seriously considering (more with every passing day, lol) a career as a perioperative nurse. I have video OR's on my iPOD people.....

I've been working in a major hospital system for many years as a CNA, on both med-surg floors and ICU's. I've done job searches to try and find OR extern/tech positions at mine and surrounding hospitals, but with no luck.

Advice? I was thinking I could contact the HR dept. and submit my resume anyway. Or should I contact the nurse manager for the OR?

While I'm here, what are the included duties of an OR extern/tech?

Thanks!

Chandra

odos · Mar 21, 2009

You should do both! Contact HR/submit your resume and contact the nurse manager. Just because your job searches don't pull up info on any formal internships it may be that the hospitals have them but they just don't do a good job displaying that they are available. The hospital I work for now did not have anything on their website about an OR internship but I called and got more info and it turns out they do accept new grads in the OR and have a 3 month program.

Let them know you really want it. Include a cover letter in your resume explaining your experiences and your enthusiasm to work in the OR. Since you are still in school, ask them if you can come and observe for a day or two. And since your working in a hospital now, start at that hospital. and let people know you're interested in becoming a perioperative nurse because you never know who you might meet or who could help you find a position. Join AORN- I was a student member and it had a lot of good information. I think there is even a mentor program through their website that can connect you with perioperative nurses who are interested in mentoring. it seems like a great way to learn more about the profession and to network. good luck!