Surg tech to R.N advice..need some!!

Specialties Operating Room

Published

Hi everyone,

I have been doing pre reqs for nursing for a while.Mainly part time while my children were small.I just moved to the east coast from Calif. I was accepted to a surg tech program at a local CC and will receive an associates degree. I would go straight to R.N, but my finances say otherwise.I need to work sooner than later. I do want my R.N, I always have.Waiting to get into nursing school is not an option right now.

I wanted to know how the transition worked for the former techs?Did you quit your job while going to nursing school,or did you keep working?Any advice on how you did it would be wonderful.

Thanks!

Amber

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Many of the techs that I worked with that went on for their RN attended school on a part-time basis if they needed to work full-time.

Those that could manage, attended school full-time, and then worked weekends. Some also worked full-time nights and went to school full-time during the day.

You need to see what will work for you.

Good luck with your choice of careers. Remember that anything can be done if you really want to do it.

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Specializes in OR.

Hi, I graduated nursing school in May after being a surg tech for 5 years and worked while I was in school. I did 40 hours a week during nursing one and then for the next 3 semesters I went to 32 hours and would take weekend call every so often. It can be done but if you don't have to work fulltime then I wouldn't. I didn't have a choice really, I needed my benefits and paid my own tuition(I'm still paying off my tech school loans!) so I had to work. It has been a slight adjustment, but in a lot of ways the fact that I was a tech has helped me. I got a job in the same hospital, in the same OR, and people know me, so that makes it easier. I also had alot of encouragement from staff. Best of luck to you!

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Thanks for the advice. This was a hospital surg tech program and they had a merger with a local CC. Im glad I will be coming out with a degree. Im so excited! I have such respect for the nurses and hope that I can be part of a great OR team. I start Tuesday and Im really excited! I cant imagine how it feels to start nursing school..someday:)

Now,if I remain vertical first surgery:uhoh3:

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I'm a surg tech. I'll be working PRN when I get around to it. If I had kids to feed I'd probably try to squeeze in at least 30hrs a week....But its just me, the cat and the DF.

I love being a surgical tech. I think you've made a smart move!;) :yeah:

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Specializes in GI, OR, Oncology.

I was an LVN and the hospital trained me to scrub. I loved (and still do) scrubbing. I was able to find a part time LVN program back then and worked full time while going to school (I was single back then). I worked full time as an LVN/Scrub for 8 years, then I cut back to working mostly Fridays and weekends (on call), switched to per diem and did a full time LVN to RN program (married by then, so that worked out). Many people in my class worked full time. I'm so glad to have the solid scrub experience before learning to circulate. I think it's made the transition much better for me.

I think you've made a great choice!

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I agree with all the above posts and congratulations! Excellent choice. I worked part-time while I did my prerequisite classes, but now I have the luxury of not working while in nursing school. Will you pursue the ADN-RN program at the same CC? Try to see if you can get a course outline with all the requirements for the RN program so that you don't end up taking classes "over" or classes that you don't really need.

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