Become a Surgical Nurse

Unlike a registered nurse (RN) who can work in a wide variety of environments, a surgical nurse works only in surgery. A surgical nurse is the voice of the patient in the operating room. Before the operation, the surgical nurse tends to the patient's mental and emotional well-being, while during the operation, the nurse cares for the patient's physical well being and assists the surgeon with equipment and other needs. All surgical nurses must be licensed registered nurses first before going on to specialize in surgery.

Steps

Becoming a Registered Nurse

1. Get a high school diploma. Admission into a school of nursing requires a high school diploma or, alternately, passing the General Education Development (GED) test. If you want to be a nurse, pay attention to your performance, skill, and interest in courses like biology, physiology, and chemistry throughout high school. The knowledge from these courses will be important in your post-secondary education.
   • The foundation of nursing is science. If you don’t like science but are interested in nursing in high school you should talk with your school counselor about arranging a day or two to shadow a nurse.
   • Don't get discouraged if these subjects don't come easily to you. Consider hiring a private tutor to help you in your math and science courses in order to improve and develop effective study and learning strategies.
2. Undertake post-secondary education in nursing. There are three ways to become a registered nurse. Whatever path you choose, the coursework involved will include physiology, biology, chemistry, nutrition, and anatomy.
   • Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN). This level of education is like a bachelor’s program in all other fields. It is awarded by a college or university and usually takes four years to complete. Class offerings are more diverse than other settings and include community health, pharmacology, health assessment, microbiology, human development and clinical practice. A BSN qualifies you for a higher pay grade and a wider variety of certifications and promotions on the job. This is the preferred level of education for new hires at most hospitals.
   • Associate's degree in nursing (ADN). This is the most common way to obtain a registered nursing license and involves a two-year program at a community or junior college. Many students transition to BSN programs after having completed an ASN and holding an entry-level nursing position. In these cases, nurses are able get further education using an employer's tuition assistance program; they're also able to work and earn an income while getting the next level of education.
   • Diploma from an accredited nursing program. You can also be eligible for licensure by completing a vocational nursing program. These accredited programs are often associated with a hospital and vary in length, though they are typically up to three years long. In this program, classroom learning, clinical practice, and on-the-job training are combined. This education path is on the decline since the National Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice recommends that at least 66% of the workforce hold a BSN in nursing or higher.
3. Make sure your school is accredited. The national accreditation agency for nursing schools is the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. This agency ensures the quality and integrity of bachelor, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. Accreditation is voluntary but ensures that colleges and schools providing nursing education are operating at the same professional level and educating future nurses in a manner which ensures that they can provide effective and standardized care.
4. Get some experience in working in surgery. During your nursing program, you will do a rotation in surgery for a brief time. This is an ideal time to discover whether this is an area you'd like to work in in the future.
   • If this is an area that interests you, speak with your clinical instructor about getting more time to observe in the operating room.
5. Get licensed. Registered nurses in the United States must have a nursing license. Take the National Council Licensure Examination - Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) once you have graduated from your accredited program and thus have completed the appropriate education requirements. This test is the nationally recognized licensing exam for registered nurses.
   • Prerequisites to and fees for the exam may differ between states. Check with the requirements for your state, or for the state you plan on practicing in.
   • Most states have reciprocation agreements, meaning that if you pass your exam in one state, you’ll be able to apply for and receive a license in any other state without retaking the test as long as your license is free from any encumbrances. In other words, if there isn’t anything that would disqualify the state from issuing a license, such as stealing drugs or felony conviction.
6. Find a job as a nurse. There are more than two million nurses in the United States, making the position the largest in the healthcare field. There are a variety of settings in which a nurse can work, including hospitals, physician's offices, elderly care homes, prisons, college campuses and schools.
   • Nurses with a bachelor's degree (BSN) have better employment prospects than those who do not.
   • Most surgical units will only hire nurses who have had one year of experience in other areas of the hospital. Experience working in the recovery room or in the operating room will help you determine if you want to pursue this career path.

Specializing in Surgery

1. Work as a registered nurse. As an RN, you can work in the surgical area after graduating and getting your nursing license; however, specialization and certification in surgical nursing, also known as perioperative nursing, will enable you to work in specialized roles and earn more money. Most specialized educational programs, however, require a minimum amount of clinical experience as an RN before you can enroll in the program. These requirements vary upon the area in which you live. On average, the required length of time is one to two years.
   • Most programs also require that 2,000 hours, or one year, of this time be served in an acute care setting. This is to give you an idea of the amount of stress that may be involved in being a surgical nurse.
2. Get perioperative nursing training. Additional training to become a surgical nurse typically involves a two-year program in which you focus solely on the skills and professional knowledge necessary to work within the operating room. Upon completion of this program, you will have a recognized specialty in surgery-related care.
   • Alternatively, you can also pursue a Master's Degree. A Master’s program can take between 18 months and three years depending upon if you had prior experience and are enrolled full-time or part-time. Master's programs blend theory, research, and practice and allow the surgical nurse to take a certification examination.
3. Pass the Certified Nurse Operating Room Exam (CNOR). In order to obtain specialized roles in the operating room and receive a higher pay scale, surgical nurses are often required to pass a certification examination. An initial certification, the CNOR is offered by the Competency and Credentialing Institute for perioperative RNs. This certification documents the validity of a nurse’s standard of practice in caring for patients before, during and after surgery. Requirement include:
   • An unrestricted RN license
   • Current full or part-time employment in perioperative nursing, education, administration or research
   • Completed two years and 2,400 hours of experience in perioperative nursing with at least 1,200 hours in the operating room.
   • Re-certification is required every five years.
4. Determine which nursing role in surgery you would like to have. Inside the operating room, surgical nurses play one of four different roles. Each role requires specialized knowledge and abilities which the nurse brings to the team of professionals. Note that in some cases additional education and certification may be desirable, such as for a Registered Nurse First Assistant.
   • Scrub Nurse. An RN who is sterile and may prepare the operating room prior to surgery, assess the patients when they arrive, and help prepare the patient for the surgical procedure. Scrub nurses will pass instruments to the surgeon during the procedure and help monitor the patient.
   • Circulating Nurses. An RN who ensures that all paperwork is completed, documents the surgical procedure, replenishes surgical supplies, verifies instrument count after the procedure is completed, and completes the charting of the surgery.
   • Registered Nurse First Assistant. An RN who directly assists during the operation. The exact responsibilities will vary with the type of surgery and the surgeon’s preference. Generally, the role includes controlling bleeding, suturing the incision, and intervening during complications. Prior to surgery these nurses will provide pre-operative instructions, answer questions, and following surgery, will assess patients for recovery and provide discharge instructions.
   • PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) Nurse. An RN who cares for patients after surgical procedures and anesthesia.
5. Consider specializing in a specific surgical field. After your initial certification, you can also specialize in specific types of surgical fields, such as Certified Plastic Surgical Nurse, Adult Cardiac Surgery Subspecialty Certification, Certified Bariatric Nurse as well as Registered Nurse First Assistant, mentioned above. These specializations typically require a valid RN license, several years of experience in the field, additional educational training, and certification.
   • The specific requirements of each specialization may vary, so it's best you consult a trusted resource, such as the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses, which provides a number of resources on nursing education and clinical practice, and has local chapters located throughout the United States.

Understanding Surgical Nursing

1. Understand the nursing profession. According to the American Nurses Association, nursing today is designed for the protection, promotion and optimization of health and the prevention of illness and injury. Nurses are advocates in the care of individuals, families and communities. The standardized education of today’s registered nurses, in contrast to the past, reflects the high expectations communities and physicians have on the men and women who fill these roles. In recent years, the employment of nurses has grown and will continue to grow in part because of the aging of the baby boomer population and the associated growing rate of chronic conditions like diabetes.
   • The nursing profession is not just for women; there are over a hundred thousand registered male nurses working in the US.
2. Determine if the general responsibilities of nursing interest you. The foundation of all nursing practice is based in human anatomy and physiology. The chief mission of the nursing field is to protect, promote and optimize health. Key responsibilities for nurses include:
   • Performing physical assessments and taking medical and family histories by interviewing patients on the day of surgery
   • Providing counseling and education about health promotion and injury protection
   • Administering medication and providing wound care
   • Coordinating care and collaborating with other professionals including doctors, therapists and dietitians
   • Directing and supervising care and providing education to patients and family, which enable patients to be discharged sooner
3. Consider the specific field of surgical nursing. Surgical nurses perform specific tasks in the operating room that both assist the surgeon and evaluate the current level of care. Surgical nurses are faced with specific challenges and responsibilities, which include:
   • Doing pre-operative assessments of the patient and giving patients pre-op instructions
   • Ensuring the right medications are ordered on the day of surgery, the right blood tests were performed and that all allergies were noted on the chart
   • Working under the supervision of the surgeon but also able to function independently in the OR
   • Working in a hospital. As a surgical nurse, you will likely end up working in a hospital with a surgical ward and emergency care and trauma center. You may also work in intensive care units and recovery rooms.
4. Know the general skills and qualities involved in nursing. Beyond having a breadth of knowledge in medicine (and being someone who does not get squeamish easily!), a surgical nurse must also be skilled in other areas. In this sense, nursing is like any other profession in that there are specific individual qualities that make the job easier and a more natural fit for some people. It's important to determine whether your personality and abilities can accommodate the various responsibilities and tasks that come with being a nurse. Key qualities include:
   • Interpersonal and communication skills. Being a nurse requires working with people everyday—doctors, other nurses, technicians, patients, caregivers, and others. To communicate information and do their jobs effectively and clearly, nurses need strong interpersonal skills, patience, and the ability to break down complex information into something that is accessible for ordinary people (i.e., non-specialists).
   • Compassion. Caring and empathy are valuable when taking care of individuals who are in sick or injured. Remember that patients may be scared or in pain and need to be comforted, reassured, and motivated to fight through their illnesses.
   • Critical thinking. Registered nurses must be able to assess changes in the health status of their patients and make a quick referrals.
   • Detail-oriented and organized. Nurses often work with multiple patients and healthcare professional at a time and so they need to be able to keep track of what has been done and what needs to be done. In addition, attention to detail is key; one small mistake in the operating room can have a big impact on a patient’s condition and life.
   • Stamina. Nurses are often required to perform physical tasks, such as lifting patients, and also work long shifts of between eight and 12 hours, which may include night shifts.

Tips

• It is recommended that you meet with a college counselor to learn how to become a surgical nurse in your area. The counselor can outline the classes you need to take and in what order you should take them according to other commitments in your life. He can also provide you with information on GPA requirements for your school.

Warnings

• Each surgical procedure requires a knowledgeable and skilled team of professionals who often mean the difference between the life and death of a patient. While surgical nursing can be lucrative, it is also demanding and requires long hours and may expose you to situations which can be emotionally and physically stressful.

Related Articles

• Become an Assistive Technology Consultant
• Become a Diagnostician

Sources and Citations

• http://degreedirectory.org/articles/Surgical_Nursing_Become_a_Surgical_Nurse_in_5_Steps.html
• http://www.learn4good.com/nursing/medical_surgical_nurse_programs.htm
• http://www.rn.ca.gov/applicants/lic-faqs.shtml#lic1

See also

• Massage Your Uterus After Birth
• Do Oxygen Therapy
• Become a Neonatal Nurse
• Become a Doctor
• Become a Doula
• Draw Blood from Hard to Hit Veins
• Become a Health Insurance Agent
• Become a Surgeon
• Become a Pediatrician
• Become a Pharmacist

Read more ...

What links here

• Be a Nurse
• Become a Neurosurgeon
• Become an Orthopedic Surgeon
• Prepare in High School for the Medical Field