Education Needed to Become a Surgical Nurse

Becoming a health-care professional can be a gratifying occupational choice. There are many jobs in the health field. One of the most common and most necessary is that of nurse. Nurses assist in the recovery of those facing chronic or emergency illness. Nurses work in many different fields such as pediatrics, neonatology and oncology. Nurses also work in operating rooms assisting doctors as they perform surgery. The education to become a surgical nurse requires many steps.

Nursing School Admission

Gain admission to a nursing program or school. Admission to a nursing program is generally competitive. There are often many more candidates than spaces. An applicant may have to make several attempts before she is admitted. To shore up your chances of admission, consider taking science and math classes in high school as well as advanced placement classes in undergraduate subjects.

Nursing Classes

Once you've been admitted to an undergraduate program in nursing, you will have to take and pass classes in subjects that relate to nursing education. Such classes typically include subjects such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology. Potential nurses are expected to maintain a certain grade-point average to continue their undergraduate status and advance from one semester to the next.

Clinical Education

Potential surgical nurses will take at least one semester and possibly a year of clinical education. Clinical education exposes students to hands-on training that directly introduces them to the practice of nursing the field. Such training is nearly always conducted in hospitals under the close supervision of a registered nurse. Applicants interested in surgical nursing should pay close attention to on-site demonstration of surgical techniques and practices.

Pass NCLEX

Potential nurses are required to pass an exam called the NCLEX, which stands for National Council on Licensure Exam for nurses. The exam consists of multiple choice questions and can be taken more than once. Exams are graded on a pass/fail basis.

Certification

Once candidates have passed exams as registered nurses and gained experience, they can become Certified Operating Room Nurses. Certified Operating Room Nurses status is achieved by attending classes and passing an exam. Certification programs are designed to be completed in two semesters. Typical classes may include such subjects as Principles of Perioperative Nursing, Anesthesia Assessment and Patient Care and Surgical Instrumentation. Nurses can work while attending classes.