What is the Course to take in Perioperative RN

[vivalasvegas]

I am presently in a BSN program. I have searched the AORN site for perioperative programs. so many sites have old POC's and/or nonexisistent programs. What is the best course of action? Go to a hospital based program? even though I have my BSN should I consider a Community college program before seeking employment? How relevant is having a year of Med/Surg before applying for an entry level perioperative position? OJT or 'formal' training? what areas of the country are better than others?

I keep hearing our city is way behind in its practice that I need to be looking to the central or eastern time zones for good nursing?

If I am graduating in August this year, should I be out there interviewing now or should I wait until june july? Are hospitals willing to take on new grads? Should I be trying to shadow RNs now? is a NAP position helpful?

OY! someone come to the aid of this nurse minion! I am very confused! I want to start my career on the right foot and not waste time.

The input of those of you with time and experience under your belt is greatly appreciated (in advance)

I apologize if I have resubmitted a thread you have seen already (ad nausium).

thank you!

Viva

[inspir8tion]

Hi, I am a student, graduating in May 2006. I work as a nurse intern in the OR of LAC+USC Medical Center. It is a teaching hospital in downtown Los Angeles. They offer a 9 month perioperative program teaching circulating and scrub. One starts in September and one starts in March each year. They require you "pay them back" with 2 years working at the hospital. They hire new grads and heavily recruit us. They have been recruiting us since we were in our first semester.

Re: doing med/surg for a year beforehand, it depends on the hospital. I have interviewed the nurses in the OR where I work and some of them went straight into the OR without doing med/surg. Some of them did.

It does not say where you live, so I don't know if you would want to move to Los Angeles. However, I think most teaching hospitals have some type of OR program. You could always think about where you would like to live, find out the teaching hospital in that area and call the nurse recruitment office and ask them.

Good luck!

Elizabeth

[Pitbullgirl]

I graduated in December with my BSN, and will be starting an OR internship at my hospital in one week. It is a 6-month internship, mainly training for circulating. We are also supposed to have a 3-month scrub class down the road, probably in late fall or January. I think because we are so short on nurses right now, they want to get people in as soon as possible.

I've heard both sides of the argument on this board and elsewhere for getting experience before going to the OR. I've heard the same thing about the ED. I think it depends, in large part, on the person, their background and personality. I had 2+ yrs in the same hospital's Level 1 ED as a tech before graduating and moving to the OR as a nurse. I like a fast-paced environment, I'm very detailed oriented and enjoy setting up all the equipment when we get a trauma in the ED, knowing what the doc needs before he/she requests it, etc.

Many large teaching hospitals have an OR internship, and quite a few of these programs are open to new grads. My suggestion is to think about where you want to live, and look up the hospital's website and see what they say about their OR program. Then contact nurse recruitment at that hospital.

Best of luck!

[vivalasvegas]

Ladies!

Thanks for your input!

I have lready perused the web for courses and internships around the country. Very good prospects.

I guess my main question boils down to this -

Is it better to attend a perioperative 101 course for certificate or just go for the internship or do both?

I love going to school so I am inclined to want the cert so the internship isn't all about learning the equipment and proceedures but orientating to the policy and idiocyncracies of that particular theater. Make sense?

Your input on this would be greatly appreciated (again)

Also, the longer the internship the better the program? are any parts of the country "known" for things over the other parts? if that makes sense?

Well, I am off to study. thank you for your time.

viva

p.s. elizabeth viva las vegas my user name should give you an idea of where I am from - what happens in vegas, stays in vegas

Peace out!

[SFCardiacRN]

Our OR hired an RN that had taken a peri-operative course before application (right after graduation). She was much better prepared and progressed much faster than RN's we hired "off the floor". Both ways are possible but I don't think a year or two of med/surg is needed first. If you are interested in OR (or PACU) go for it right out of school.

[inspir8tion]

Ah, see, and I just thought you loved to gamble!

I just wanted to mention that my "internship" is as a student nurse worker. Once I graduate and take the boards the hospital changes my job title to interim permittee and after I pass the boards my job title will be staff nurse. I will get paid as a staff nurse while taking the nine month OR program. Pretty cool deal...

[vivalasvegas]

Thanks SFCardiacRN! That is what I figured. I found a couple community colleges that offer the perioperative course. I am focusing on the one in Ohio and the other in Pennsylvania which has the nurse that authored the Alexander book 12th edition (Rothrock) as the instructor. How cool is that? I've go the alexander book for light reading between tests - CHA!

Anyhoo - So I am probably going to check out the areas and then put in for the course. It may come down to wherever I am accepted. No biggie!

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response!

Inspir8tion - if you live in vegas you learn real quick that your paycheck is too hard to come by to just hand it over to the casinos. However, we do encourage y'all to come out and try your luck!

Again - Thanks!

Viva