You’ve entered nursing school and reached your clinical rotations. The day comes to observe in the operating room and you’re one of the few classmates particularly excited about this opportunity. After the OR rotation you leave with a sense of fascination and an eagerness to learn more. Perhaps you took initiative and shadowed an OR nurse to gain more exposure to the perioperative arena. You begin to realize you’d truly enjoy a career as a perioperative nurse. You wonder though, as a student, what else can I do to learn more about the field? Is it possible to meet other like-minded students and nurses? What more can I do to assist me in following my chosen career path after graduation?
What is the AORN?
The AORN is the national association for perioperative nurses. Each nursing specialty has an appointed association meant to further the education of those nurses involved, provide a community of support as well opportunities to become an advocate in your chosen profession, and provide assistance for professional development.
What can the AORN do for current nursing students interested in pursuing a perioperative career?
AORN provides a student membership which includes many educational opportunities to help expose you to the field of perioperative nursing. The annual membership fee is only $20. This includes FREE registration to the AORN congress where students may network with experienced nurses, meet industry representatives, and have the opportunity to learn about the latest clinical and perioperative management topics. Other benefits include an online nurse consultation program, scholarship programs, AORN Journal, networking opportunities with local and state chapters, and a job bank with perioperative positions throughout the country.
What the AORN has done for me: A student nurse perspective.
I’ve had a long fascination with a surgical career, but realized my passion for perioperative nursing shortly after my first OR rotation in nursing school. Like many student nurses interested in a particular field, I was unsure what steps I needed to take to reach my career goals. I knew one of the first steps was meeting actual perioperative nurses so I could get more information about the field. The most frequent question I hear from nursing students with an interest in perioperative nursing is “Can I work in the OR as a new graduate?” as personal experiences from new graduate nurses with the same career goals through www.allnurses.com. This is an international nursing forum boasting participation by more than 300,000 nurses, that includes a forum specifically for perioperative nurses. It was through this website that I discovered the AORN. Being involved in this association has provided me with a large networking community of experienced nurses, both local and national. Within the first week of joining the AORN, I have been able to make contacts through the eChapter as well as local chapters, meeting with OR nurses who have been extremely receptive to any questions I may have. I have been invited to chapter meetings where I have been able to continue my networking experiences as well as hear educational speakers talk about the latest advancements in the field.
The AORN has truly been a springboard in launching my career. AORN has exposed me to educational opportunities I would have otherwise not have known about. I believe any future nurse who is considering the perioperative arena should join AORN. Those nursing students will gain invaluable information in preparation for their career choice, find countless networking opportunities, and will develop a sense of camaraderie with fellow nurses and students. Becoming a member has been a wonderful experience and has advanced my development as a nursing student to being an advocate and educator for all of those interested in the exciting field of perioperative nursing.
A coworker shared with me that she had wanted to be a perioperative nurse, but her nursing program didn’t offer that option and she didn’t know what steps to take. I asked her what resources she would have found helpful while she was in school and her first thought was a website for students with many links and an opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion! Here are few of our ideas:
Chandra
Chandra Marsden,
Student Nurse – Henry Ford Community College
Class of 2010