Rejected from OR nurse residency

Specialties Operating Room

Published

Hi there!

so I work on a surgical/tele floor and I have been working here for 3 months. I hate it and I really want to move into the OR. I applied for an OR nurse residency program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (VERY well-known hospital) in Chicago. I thought for sure I would at least get an interview and possibly the job since I am still a new grad and have 3 months of floor experience. I checked my application status today and it said that they are not considering me for the position. I was absolutely devastated and shocked, and now I am just really sad because the thought of getting this position has been what's getting me through the job I am at. Now that that's out of the question, I cannot fathom the thought of staying there longer than 6 months.

Do you think they rejected me because it looks bad that I want to leave my current job after 3 months? I cannot understand what else it could be. I ended up calling the nurse manager of the OR directly and leaving a message to see if there's anyway I can talk to her about it. There is no place in the city right now offering positions to new grads in the OR, so this is my only shot. I am so let down and it is making me want to switch to PRN status at my current job because I that is how much I dislike it.

Any advice or thoughts on this would be appreciated. Also, any advice on how to get into the OR with no OR experience?

Thanks!

Specializes in Dialysis Nurse.

Yea, I got accepted before graduation! I applied 3 months before graduation, interviewed with 6 managers at a round table. Rock the interview because I memorized all answers and practiced before the interview. The questions were spontaneous but the preparation helped tremendously. I wish you the best of luck!

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On 7/15/2019 at 3:46 PM, Reaz said:

Hi there!

so I work on a surgical/tele floor and I have been working here for 3 months. I hate it and I really want to move into the OR. I applied for an OR nurse residency program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (VERY well-known hospital) in Chicago. I thought for sure I would at least get an interview and possibly the job since I am still a new grad and have 3 months of floor experience. I checked my application status today and it said that they are not considering me for the position. I was absolutely devastated and shocked, and now I am just really sad because the thought of getting this position has been what's getting me through the job I am at. Now that that's out of the question, I cannot fathom the thought of staying there longer than 6 months.

Do you think they rejected me because it looks bad that I want to leave my current job after 3 months? I cannot understand what else it could be. I ended up calling the nurse manager of the OR directly and leaving a message to see if there's anyway I can talk to her about it. There is no place in the city right now offering positions to new grads in the OR, so this is my only shot. I am so let down and it is making me want to switch to PRN status at my current job because I that is how much I dislike it.

Any advice or thoughts on this would be appreciated. Also, any advice on how to get into the OR with no OR experience?

Thanks!

Do they want OR experience or will any kind of Nursing experience do?

Any chance you could walk over to the OR, meet the Manager, and ask directly about working there? I am NOT saying to walk in without scrubs, without permission. The point it for you to personally meet the hiring person and be able to introduce yourself and express how much you want to work in the OR.

That's how I got several of my jobs. I was working as a student nurse and met the right people. That was a very long time ago. Things might be totally different today.

Is that the only hospital you are interested in?

Are you willing to move out of town? Out of state?

Why do you want the OR?

Why do you dislike your current job?

If you can't go straight in, go around. Would you be willing to work in Recovery, with the hope of meeting the OR folks and maybe getting into OR that way after a year or so? Just don't let it be known that's the plan.

Would you consider an outpatient Surgery Center, rather than a hospital OR? You could work there long enough to get a year or so of experience and then try again to hire into the OR at a hospital if you still wanted to.

Best wishes.

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@Reaz

I went through Northwestern’s Perioperative Nurse Residency program and can certainly give you some perspective on my class and the types of nurses I went through the program with...if that helps.

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Specializes in Operating Room.
On 8/10/2019 at 4:38 AM, YoYosama said:

Yea, I got accepted before graduation! I applied 3 months before graduation, interviewed with 6 managers at a round table. Rock the interview because I memorized all answers and practiced before the interview. The questions were spontaneous but the preparation helped tremendously. I wish you the best of luck!

What questions did you use to prepare for the interview??

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Specializes in Nursing.
On 8/1/2019 at 3:53 AM, YoYosama said:

I am about to grad from a BSN program in two weeks. I did landed a job on a Tele unit but later turned it down for the OR. I switched because I cannot stand bedside nursing. I have been doing it as a CNA for 3 years and I know how nasty it is. I was told that the OR doesn't want floor nurses because of the "remolding". The OR is a completely different field comparing to other specialties of nursing. I am not sure if the this a thing or not but I heard of it from multiple sources. I am so excited for the OR! I know for sure I will not leave the OR. I love it in nursing school and I even did a job shadow in the OR outside of my clinical hours just to see if I like it.

Hi! I am just curious did you accept a position at Northwestern? I want to shadow a nurse there but it is impossible to find any information. I graduate in May with my BSN and want to move to Chicago

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Specializes in Dialysis.
19 minutes ago, gradnurse314 said:

Hi! I am just curious did you accept a position at Northwestern? I want to shadow a nurse there but it is impossible to find any information. I graduate in May with my BSN and want to move to Chicago

Make sure you have a job lined up before you move. Like other large metro areas, it can be a tough market for new grads

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Specializes in Dialysis Nurse.
On 1/21/2020 at 4:31 PM, KySurgical said:

What questions did you use to prepare for the interview??

Conflict resolution questions.

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Specializes in Dialysis Nurse.
On 2/14/2020 at 6:01 PM, gradnurse314 said:

Hi! I am just curious did you accept a position at Northwestern? I want to shadow a nurse there but it is impossible to find any information. I graduate in May with my BSN and want to move to Chicago

Oh i never applied there. I work at the University of Iowa. The only OR job i applied for and got in right away. Been working since Oct 2019, love it. I do robotic surgery, urology, and gyn.

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