How Long to Become
2-4 Years
Degree Required
ADN or BSN
Certification
Certified Perioperative Nurse *Optional
Perioperative nurses are members of surgical teams. They provide highly specialized care that has a direct impact on the lives of their patients.
The demand for perioperative nurses continues to expand, in response to nursing shortages and the increasing need for surgical services. These registered nurses (RNs), also known as surgical nurses or operating room nurses, can expect promising employment prospects and competitive salaries.
Check out answers to your questions about how to become a perioperative nurse and what it's like to work in this challenging career.
What Is a Perioperative Nurse?
Perioperative nurses work together with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other members of the surgical team throughout all phases of surgical care. They prepare patients for operations, work with surgeons during procedures, and monitor patients in recovery.
Before surgery, these RNs get their patients ready for surgery, handle paperwork, administer medicines, and set up medical equipment. They communicate with patients and their families about the procedure by answering questions and calming any fears. During surgery, they work with the doctor and healthcare team, check patient vital signs, and monitor compliance with safety and sanitary procedures.
Following the surgical procedure, these nurses provide postoperative care, checking for signs of complications and tending to wound care and pain management. They also get together discharge plans and educate patients and families about what to expect during recovery.
Perioperative nurses can work in any medical facility that offers surgical services. They find positions in hospitals, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care centers, and physicians' offices where surgical procedures are performed.
Steps to Becoming a Perioperative Nurse
If you are interested in becoming a perioperative nurse, you must complete a two-year or four-year nursing degree, pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), and get clinical experience. Because each state sets its own specific licensing regulations, make sure to check with the board of nursing in the state where you intend to practice.
Employers may require you to get certification in basic life support and advanced cardiac life support. RNs working in this field can boost their career and salary prospects by pursuing specialty credentials as certified perioperative nurses, clinical nurse specialists (perioperative), and certified surgical services managers.
Earn an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited program.
Like all RNs, perioperative nurses must complete a two-year associate of nursing degree or a four-yearbachelor of science in nursing from an accredited nursing school. For many perioperative positions, the BSN has become the minimum educational requirement.
RNs who already hold an ADN degree can enroll in RN-to-BSN degree programs to finish their baccalaureate degree in two years or less. Individuals with bachelors degrees in non-nursing fields can enroll in accelerated BSN degree programs, which prepare them for RN licensure.
Pass the NCLEX to receive RN licensure
You must pass the NCLEX-RN to determine whether you are ready to practice in entry-level nursing positions and receive your state license. This computer-adaptive, multiple-choice test covers the fundamentals of nursing practice, infection and disease prevention, and the legal/ethical aspects of nursing.
Gain experience as a registered nurse
Before entering the field of perioperative nursing, you will need 1-2 years of clinical experience. RNs should look for jobs in hospital critical care, surgery, or emergency room departments. Physicians offices and clinics that provide surgical services can also offer valuable experience.
Some hospitals have perioperative internship programs to expose recently graduated RNs to the latest standards of care.
Consider becoming a certified perioperative nurse
Nurses who choose to earn a specialty board certification demonstrate their professional accomplishments, boosting their career and salary potential.The Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR) credential, administered by the Competency & Credential Institute (CCI), is the only accredited certification for perioperative registered nurses. Candidates for this credential must have an unrestricted RN license and at least two years of experience in a perioperative setting.
Popular Online Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Perioperative Nurse Education
Earning an ADN and passing the NCLEX-RN exam offers the fastest route to a career in perioperative nursing. However, major professional nursing associations and many employers recommend that all practicing RNs earn at least a BSN degree.
Perioperative nurses who pursue nursing specialty board certifications and graduate training in advanced practice can increase their marketability and earning prospects.
ADN Degree
Completing an ADN program offers the quickest pathway to a perioperative nursing career.
This degree, which prepares you for practice in two years or less, is the minimum requirement for the NCLEX-RN exam and state licensure.
Because many employers prefer to hire BSN-trained perioperative nurses, RNs with associate degrees often choose to continue their education in RN-to BSN programs, applying their previously earned college credits toward their bachelor's degree.
Admission Requirements
A high school diploma or equivalent; minimum 2.5 GPA; placement tests in math and writing
Program Curriculum
Minimum of 60 credits including courses in psychology, human anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and biology; clinical placements
Time to Complete
1-2 years
Skills Learned
Nursing fundamentals and assessment; emergency and critical care procedures; population health; nursing ethics; critical thinking and communication
BSN Degree
The BSN program, which typically takes four years to complete, has become the preferred educational credential for many RN positions and serves as the minimum prerequisite for admission to graduate nursing programs or certification in advanced practice nursing roles.
Perioperative nurses who earn a BSN degree or higher can expect broader career opportunities and higher salaries than nurses with ADN degrees.
Admission Requirements
High school diploma or its equivalent, or an ADN degree; minimum 2.5 GPA; letters of reference
Program Curriculum
Evidence-based nursing practice; medical-surgical nursing; diagnosis and assessment; medical technology; legal/ethical issues; clinical placement
Time to Complete
2-4 years
Skills Learned
Surgical procedures; knowledge of surgical equipment and technology; patient care plan creation; patient/family education; population health competencies; critical thinking and communication
Perioperative Nurse Licensure and Certification
Perioperative nurses, like all RNs, must pass the NCLEX-RN and get a license through their state board of nursing. While each state establishes its own RN practice regulations, RNs usually need to renew their license every two years. They must demonstrate that they have kept up with advances in the field by taking continuing education courses for nurses and completing the specified number of practice hours.
While not required by all employers, perioperative nurses often pursue specialty board
certifications to demonstrate higher competency levels and set themselves apart from other job applicants.
The CCI administers several perioperative certification options. The popular CNOR credential requires candidates to hold an unrestricted RN license and current work experience in perioperative nursing, nursing education, administration, or research. It also requires a minimum of 2,400 hours of perioperative experience, with at least 1,200 hours in an intraoperative setting.
Advanced practice registered nurses with a master of science in nursingor doctoral nursing degree may qualify for the Clinical Nurse Specialist Perioperative Certification. The Certified Surgical Services Manager credential is the only certification for perioperative managers, directors, and nurses who oversee personnel, budgets, business departments, or service lines.
Working as a Perioperative Nurse
Working in hospitals and other healthcare facilities that provide surgical procedures can help RNs gain necessary skills in patient assessment and monitoring. They also learn safety and sterilization and recovery coordination.
This experience prepares them for the fast-past and challenging conditions working as perioperative nurses. Some hospitals offer nurse residency programs for recently-graduated RNs designed to strengthen their surgical care skills.
Responsibilities will differ depending on the work setting and assigned role. For example, scrub nurses work in hospital surgery units and emergency rooms, preparing and handing tools to surgeons during procedures. Circulating nurses help maintain sterile conditions and ensure that surgical teams follow safety protocols. Perioperative nurses who are RN first assistants work with physician supervision but perform many surgical procedures independently, from controlling bleeding to suturing incisions and wounds.
As healthcare facilities deal with physician and nursing shortages and increasing surgical volume, employment and salary prospects for perioperative nurses will continue to expand. Although theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide state-specific data for RNs with perioperative specialties, their salaries reflect the average compensation for all RNs which range from $66,030 a year for those in the bottom 10% to $135,320 and over for the top 10%.
Perioperative nurses in advanced nursing roles with board certification can expect to earn much higher than the average annual RN salary of $93,600.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Perioperative Nurse
Perioperative nurses work in fast-paced, stressful surgical settings. They must develop a full range of fundamental RN skills from their nursing training and clinical practice as well as competency in surgical procedures.
They must also develop "soft skills" for nurses to help them deal with volatile and high-risk working conditions. These include performing under rapidly changing conditions, maintaining patient focus and attention to detail, and committing to teamwork.
