Want to eventually become a Plastic Surgery RN

[lmill0321]

Hi all! I am a freshman nursing student and am curious about specialities. Before starting nursing school I thought I wanted to become a NICU RN, but I am now having doubts wondering if I am strong enough to deal with the hardships that come with that speciality everyday. I know I am just beginning, but was wondering if anyone here is a Plastic Surgery RN? I don't hear a lot about the pre reqs and RNs who work in plastics a lot so I was looking to gain some insight on here if possible. I've read online (so who knows how reliable) before going into plastics, most hospitals and practices require at least 2 years of experience before entering. I was wondering if there was a certain speciality people have done such as ICU or ER and are now in plastics that has been shown to help them. Anything helps, thanks! :)

[brownbook]

Please keep your eyes, mind, heart, open to all areas of nursing as you go through nursing school and clinicals.

I had several biases as a nursing student that I sooner or later realized I actually had no real idea of what that type of nursing or unit was like to work in. Some sounded really interesting once I knew more about them.

I worked 17 years in an out patient surgery center, (after 17 years of acute care floating), that did all types of surgeries, with a lot of plastics. I was a pre-op and PACU nurse. But I occasionally did "plastics" in the OR when the case only required moderate sedation.

All I can suggest is you become an OR circulating nurse. Get a couple of years experience under your belt. Some OR nurses become specialized so that they do all the plastics even in an OR that does every type of surgery. That is usually because the plastic surgeon asks for them. Plastic surgeons bring in big bucks so what they ask for they usually get! These nurses have no different advanced training than their co-workers.

I don't know of any special certification or degree available to be a Plastic Surgery RN.

Some plastic surgeons have their own OR unit in their office. Nurses who work there (I would hope) would have several years of circulating OR nursing experience and ACLS. Joining AORN is good.

If you want to know how to become "just" an OR nurse ask in the OR specialties section of Allnurses.

[feelix, RN]

Plastic surgery is no different for a nurse than general surgery. Depending on which end of surgery you want to work on (OR or post surgical), get some experience in general surgical patients.

If you have OR experience, you can transition into plastic surgery. If you have worked in the PACU, or Med-Surg floor, or even as a clinic nurse, that experience can transfer to plastics.

[Reaz, BSN]

Did you end up finding a job? I was a nurse in the hospital for two years. 1 year surgical tele and another year pre/post op. I realized working in the hospital was not for me, and I’ve always been passionate about working in plastics. Well, finding a nurse job in plastics is nearly impossible. So, I went on every plastic surgeons website, sent them an email asking if they’d be willing to bring on a nurse to train. I got a lot of rejections or no responses. Finally, a highly regarded plastic surgeon called me, had me come in to interview, and then shadow a surgery. He gave me an offer! He told me it would be a crazy steep learning curve, since I’d be seeing patients pre-op, post-op, circulating and on rare occasions scrubbing in the OR (he has his own surgery center in the building) and then if I wanted to I could train in the med spa doing injections, laser, chemical peels, etc. lots of area for growth and pay raises he told me! It is the perfect job for me and I wouldn’t have found it if I didn’t reach out on my own to find the position. Getting in plastics take time and effort!