Surgical tech to RN

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Hi everyone, I will be starting my first semester of nursing school next week. I have been a surgical technician for 12 years. Has anyone else been a Surg. Tech first, and then gone to get their RN? I would love to hear your experience. I am going back because there is so much more opportunity in nursing, I do love scrubbing, but am thinking of my long term opportunities. I am 42 yrs old, so I had better make a move now, I am not getting any younger that's for sure.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Surgical Techs are great, Schomers! Very specialized.

Get ready to use your inductive skills, going from the specific to the general, on the wings of your RN license!

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I did! So glad I did too! I still work in the OR (and still scrub everyday) but I love having the options if I want them. Good luck to you!

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Hi, my friend is actually deciding what to do, and since she is shy, I told her to do Surg. Tech, and then if she wants she can go to nursing. I think it is great idea. I think there will be a lot of new things (I guess pharmacology and so on), but once you are RN, and chose to stay in OR, you will be like Goddess of OR. Heaven sent. Halleluiaaaaa And also OR nurses are one who get pay well. Good luck!

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Hi, my friend is actually deciding what to do, and since she is shy, I told her to do Surg. Tech, and then if she wants she can go to nursing. I think it is great idea. I think there will be a lot of new things (I guess pharmacology and so on), but once you are RN, and chose to stay in OR, you will be like Goddess of OR. Heaven sent. Halleluiaaaaa And also OR nurses are one who get pay well. Good luck!

Just curious, but why did you tell her to become a scrub tech because she is shy?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Hi, my friend is actually deciding what to do, and since she is shy, I told her to do Surg. Tech, and then if she wants she can go to nursing.

Why? And does your friend understand the differences of the two jobs? Has she done her own research?

I think it is great idea. I think there will be a lot of new things (I guess pharmacology and so on), but once you are RN, and chose to stay in OR, you will be like Goddess of OR. Heaven sent. Halleluiaaaaa
Um, what?

And also OR nurses are one who get pay well. Good luck!

Paid well but have to sacrifice. My pay is the same as every other nurse in the facility. The difference comes from being on call and working OT. That means less me time, less family time, less not work time. It's a tradeoff.

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Paid well but have to sacrifice. My pay is the same as every other nurse in the facility. The difference comes from being on call and working OT. That means less me time, less family time, less not work time. It's a tradeoff.

Not to mention that nurses who work nights and make shift diff will make more than a nurse in the OR.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Not to mention that nurses who work nights and make shift diff will make more than a nurse in the OR.

Not more than me! But then, I take upwards of 100 hours of call per 2 week pay period. And stay late at least 75% of the days I'm on call. And get called in on the weekends. And at 0300 for the stabbings/shootings.

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Not more than me! But then, I take upwards of 100 hours of call per 2 week pay period. And stay late at least 75% of the days I'm on call. And get called in on the weekends. And at 0300 for the stabbings/shootings.

And I thought I worked a lot! Sheesh!!! I do stay late most days and pick up call all the time but there are a few of us who fight for call so I don't always get it. I'm tired just reading all that[emoji99]

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