Stay in the know.

Join our free nurse community to get updates on trending questions and the topics you care about

How can a new grad find their way into the OR? I graduate in December of this year (2022) and I want to head straight to the OR. I have 10 years experience in the medical field (in a diff state so no contacts here) and know that’s what I want.


October 20th, 2022

You should let your recruiter know what you want. It does depend on the hospital’s policy when hiring new grads.

November 14th, 2023

Very very difficult to get into the OR. There are programs you can take. Mine was 10 months (27 or so years ago). Now if you’re a surg tech you have to be certified. I was lucky and while I was doing my OR rotation for surg tech I got to know the charge nurse in the OR and I got hired 3 months after school in an inner city level 1 trauma center. No certification needed then! It was crazy. Went to nursing school got my degree and stayed in the same OR until I retired in 2020. Any medical experience other OR you would have to be very lucky to get in.

January 4th, 2023

Your best bet is to find a facility or college that offers Periop 101. Most facilities will call it a Nurse Residency of some kind (HCA facilities call it StaRN) but you will need to confirm it is OR specific. Very few ORs will take a new grad straight into the OR with no prior OR experience or training. If you a really gung ho and have a ton of money to spend check and see if you can do Periop 101 directly through AORN being that they are the ones that put it out anyway. Try this link: https://www.aorn.org/events/2022/11/01/default-calendar/perio...
Hope that helps!!! Good luck to you!

October 22nd, 2022

Ask your nursing instructors who have connections in the hospital.