I have 4 years past experience as an LPN in MA. After graduating 2022 with a BSN I’m looking into OR or L/D. Both specialties require past experience, for those who work in these fields what advice would you give so I standout as a stronger candidate

Teaching hospitals are a good choice. Look for Residency Programs (for transitioning into Specialty Areas). Look into Peri-Op 101 program for OR. Try ACU/PACU as a way to transition to OR. Shadowing is another great path as previously mentioned. I've been a nurse 10y but hubby has almost 25y in. He started on M/S/Onc Floor...then ACU (12y)...then in-house Peri-Op 101 class (8y+)....now traveling as OR Circulator (CNOR).

I agree with Sandra, a teaching hospital is your best bet. Many hospitals are offering residency/nurse transition programs for the OR. I went on AORN and looked up Periop 101 programs in my area. I was surprised to see my hospital had a program but they didn't post it as a job. AORN used to list the contact information for program instructors. I contacted the instructor at my hospital and was able to get into a transition program.
I'm unsure how to break into L/D. What I would advise is at least a year of floor experience, either med/surg or ICU (they offer residency programs for that as well). I have been an OR nurse and preceptor for 11 years and have found that the nurses that have at least a little floor experience seem to have a smoother transition into the OR. I had a year of med/surg and 2 years ICU prior to going to the OR and the skills I learned there were immensely useful (prioritization, dealing with codes, etc).
I wish you luck in your endeavors. If you work in a hospital ask to shadow for a day in the OR or contact the supervisor in the OR. Both the OR and L/D are tough to get into but there are residency/nurse transition programs available. Good luck!

UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR: it only took a week start to finish but I found a Hospital interested in me! Their staff asked to give me a tour of their OR post interview and I even watched the end of a surgery. I had a good feeling after leaving so I wasn’t surprised when I got the call saying I got the job. I’ll be starting their Periop program in September! Thank you all for your well wishes and advice :)

I would definitely try to get in a teaching hospital - they have peri-op program which you get certified. Working in the OR requires setting priorities, knowing the case and what a specific surgeon needs pending on case. Not every surgeon is the same they have their idiosyncrasies.
Work with the nurse who will precept you on each service which at times may be difficult due to the shortage of staffing.
Adhere to the standards of the AORN and hospital policies.
There are a lot of new technology out there. It is very technical on the equipment. I have done OR for the last 40 years and I just loved it. A lot of personalities to deal with and can be very stressful at times trying to turnover the cases and getting the room ready for the next case.
Best of luck to you in your transition.

I went into high-risk L/D/OR after I became a nurse, but they were in need since it was an inner-city, teaching hospital and they dealt with lots of heavy cases. There never seemed to be enough nurses to cover all the patients, although that's common almost anywhere. I also tech'd in the MICU while going to nursing school, so I learned a great deal there. Depending on your area, you might want to try a city hospital, start off in another unit like Mother/Baby/Nursery. What is your experience as an LPN? You could also talk with a nurse manager of a few units and let them know your interest? Try a shadow day too.

Do not think that way. Apply, make it clear that you are new to the specialty but that you’re open to training and would love to be part of x unit. Apply apply and keep applying! Places are always hiring and if they don’t want “new grads” then look for a residency program/transition program.

I definitely agree with one of the ladies’ answers that you should look into academic facilities with Periop 101 programs. Their programs are based on AORN’s program where you get to learn everything about the OR.

Melody
OR RN for 42 years
No. CA

I have been an LPN for 3 years now and I was looking to switch my patient care to another patient population. I fortunately got an opportunity through Ochsner hospital, which is a teaching hospital, to work on their Mother/Baby unit and L/D. They created this chance for me which hasn’t ever been done. So I went in confident and let them know I was willing to learn what I needed to in order to work on the unit and care for those patients. Teaching hospitals are good to look into and always go in confident of your ability and be open

My suggestion for you to find teaching trauma level 1 hospital. They usually have a fellowship programs in OR for a one year. Also, I work in NYC for the city health system which can give you a great experience however they don’t pay enough. They always understaffed and accept almost everyone. Make sure you really want to be in OR. It’s not an easy environment. Your main clients are doctors, residents, reps and etc. Lots of different personalities. My point is not every one is meant to be an OR nurse. It’s very intense.

Try looking into larger hospital systems that offer nursing fellowship programs. They are offering new grads and nurses with no experience in specialty areas a chance to train in those areas as the need is great. Also may be worth asking people you know if anyone has connections and could get you the name of a nurse manager or director to contact via email directly to let them know you have an interest in working for them. I know the managers I have worked with would love to have nurses reach out to them as it shows you really want the job and that you really care about getting the job.

I finished my BSN some time ago. But, I did my senior specialty in L&D. After I was about done I made sure I knew who the managers of each unit in the service line were as well as the director. Women and Children's is highly specialized. Be sure to make contact with both managers and directors. Just a simple email message or voicemail work. Introduce yourself, give a little background information, and let them know you have applied and are very interested in this position. I luckily was hired and had a job waiting for me before I finished school. Job shadowing is also a great way to learn.

My recommendation would be to get at least one year experience in the floor but you have that under your belt. Find a good perioperative program and when you are with preceptors take a little from each to find your own “style”. Also, keep a small notebook in your pocket.

Hi, I agree with most responses about looking for jobs in a teaching hospital or those offering residency programs. If you cannot find in your area you may have to relocate. Also, go on popular sites like glass door or indeed or LinkedIn if you see multiple job postings for L&D for awhile it means they have multiple opportunities ans may be willing to train. Also, get certified in fetal heart monitoring by signing with awhonn and nrp through aap. And read the reviews from other

As an OR nurse for 41 years, it was my passion. I agree with the others. Our hospital had a program designed to help nurses train and prepare for OR nursing. It was a tough program, but the students had preceptors to help them. I'm glad you were accepted! Hang in there. There are many different personalities to deal with in the OR. You have to develop tough skin. Good luck!

A lot of hospitals have "grow your own" programs to train nurses for specific specialties, like L&D and ICU. Check with HR.

My advice would be do it NOW! Same deal - teaching hospitals/programs. That’s how to get in. When you are a new grad. I worked 9 years as a DON at a prison, straight out of nursing school when I got my BSN. Now I absolutely cannot get a job in a hospital. I actually do not desire it so it isn’t an issue for me. But when I was job searching, I wanted to keep my options open, so I applied for all different types of positions. I quickly learned that it’s absolutely impossible to get in without specific experience like you mentioned. I almost got in on a MedSurg unit for night shift, but they chose another candidate that had MedSurg experience. The only reason I got the interview was because they really needed to hire someone and they didn’t have any other applicants. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even have gotten that far. So really the only way to get in is as a new nurse. If you know, that is what you want to do, then I would advise you to do it quickly.

I started in L&D with no previous L&D experience (just one year medsurge) and an ADN; they hired me and paid for my BSN. The only thing that maybe set me apart was utilizing a resume service that tailored my resume to have the key words the algorithm likely looks for when electronically scrubbing candidates’ files. I applied in the morning and had an interview by that afternoon

Look for facilities often academic that offer internships and or residencies.

After 2 years in med/surg, I met with the director in L&D and just laid it out; that I wanted to work there and how do I make it happen? I might expect to start in postpartum but be clear on your goals. You may be pleasantly surprised. But maybe do a little bit of brushing up on your MCH beforehand. Maybe take NRP, ACLS, and/or a fetal monitoring class, which will be required after being hired. Godspeed!

I started in the OR as a new grad. The most important thing is to get your foot in the door, then make an effort to get to know people that work in the specialty your are interested in. Show interest and request shadow days. It can be done.

Teaching hospitals will train. Please keep in mind that OR nursing requires a fair amount of call shifts, which younger nurses tend not to like. Just an FYI

I would advise to seek a teaching hospital, they are use to student and new nurse rotating threw those services. I would also seek for opportunities to volunteer or shadow in those services to get your foot in the door, Networking get connected with people that work in those areas.

All u need is a pulse now a days and you should have no trouble finding a job. Good part of nursing. If u don’t like OR, try L and D

As an experienced OR Nurse of almost ten years, I've learned that the key to success in the Operating Room is to start off on the right foot. As a new grad, I reached out to the educator and requested a shadow day - a decision that set me on the path to a successful career. During your shadow day, remember to be enthusiastic, curious, and attentive to every detail. By following instructions closely and refraining from touching anything, you'll show that you're ready to take on the challenges of the OR with confidence and skill."
Our facility has welcomed numerous highly skilled nurses from other departments, who have now become part of our Operating Room team. This has opened up new opportunities for those who aspire to work in this critical care area.

Apply to level 1 teaching hospitals!! They have orientation training already set up for nurses new to the specialty.

I have been an L/D nurse for 41 years, retired in 2019. I live in a college town of 44,000 in San Luis Obispo, California. We have hired nurses right out of nursing school and even more transfers from other units in the hospital. I would recommend working a year or two Med/Surg and then apply for a transfer. Better chances that way and by then you will be more confident in your skills and able to handle the stress better. Good luck 👍

Apply to a magnet teaching hospital. I got in immediately after applying. Maybe having experience at a top hospital within your other roles may help.

I get some telemetry experience, may get you in those areas faster. Will help knowing that information too

What areas did you work as an LPN? Definitely draw on those experiences to make yourself stand out. Always talk about you are eager to learn,you are a team player and what you can personally bring to the table as a new nurse.
Good Luck!

BIDMC is hiring :)

Look for hospitals that have a residency program and / or don’t be afraid to express your interests on your application. I precept new nurses to the OR weekly. Some nurses are new grads and some are transfers from other units.

Finding a teaching hospital that offers a nurse internship or residency program would be your best bet. You really do want to gain the proper experience so that you can safely care for your patients in those high stress, fast paced units. Most hospitals simply won’t hire inexperienced nurses in those types of roles. Being able to function independently, and efficiently is key in that type of environment. I’ve worked in both of those departments, and they require a lot of knowledge & independence. You want to get a strong foundation so that you can provide the best care.

What did you do as an LPN?
Build yur resume to reflect those skills that you acquired while working as an LPN.
Sell yourself as a fast learner,team player and willing to learn. Also be willing to take those less appealing shifts to get your foot in the door. Stay for 2years,learn all you can, stay or move on.

Some facilities say 1-2yrs experience or some will take new grads! Just keep grinding and growing with knowledge!

In Missouri you can work in either of those specialties as a graduate nurse/ New Nurse without experience. I switched from Med-Surg to LDRP 3 yrs ago and we get New Grads all the time. Good luck

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Seek out hospitals that have a peri op 101 course. I think that is a great experience and job. BUT it is hard work, physically and also have to be on call. Just be prepared. I have never been an L/D
Nurse, because I never favored that specialty even though experienced emergent births in various areas of the ED when we could not get them to L/D on time. Good luck.

You need to look at area hospitals hiring for peri-op program. They eill train you to work on the OR.

Work as registery nurse which will get your feet everywhere.

HCA Hospital System offers a StaRN Plus Program for nurses who have some work history as a nurse, but no OR experience. It's a year-long program. You may want to check into HCA in your state. COVID has changed a lot of things in the felid. Update your resume to display the attributes/ experience you currently have that may be applicable to the job postings for these desired positions and KEEP APPLYING. You have a great chance of being hired, especially with the current nationwide shortage.

Also, sometimes your area may have an OR trading program at their community colleges. Check those out, they definitely help get your foot in the door for an affordable price.

Lee

Become a certified doula/ childbirth instructor

There are several hospitals in MA that offer the Peri-Op 101 course. I would be happy to discuss this with you further. Are you from the eastern part of MA?

A
Apply at the academic hospital where they accept residency training for new RNs. Pick the specialty you want to get an orientation then apply to get in for training. Then from there move up until they will employ you by doing your best during training.