Becoming an OR nurse at Main Line Health 

Are you interested in the operating room but don't have the experience? At Main Line Health, we have a successful Perioperative Fellowship Program for nurses interested in training to become operating room nurses. We offer this program separately for new graduate nurses and experienced acute care nurses interested in making the transition to the operating room.

Application process

The Perioperative Fellowship Program application is posted in the fall and spring of each year. Positions are available based on entity needs.

Here are details about becoming an OR nurse through this program:

The Perioperative Fellowship Program (Periop 101) is six to nine months long and prepares registered nurses (RNs) for both the circulating and scrubbing roles in the operating room.

As an RN, you will be supported by unit preceptors, coordinators and managers, and the program is facilitated by Main Line Health clinical nurse educators across the system. Upon acceptance into the program, you are then employed by one of our acute care hospitals in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, in their operating rooms:

Clinical expectations

While in the program, you will learn circulating and scrubbing roles while rotating through specialties including:

...and others. You will also build on basic skills each week, following didactic modules to match your weekly goals, and you'll attend in-services and staff meetings.

Becoming an OR nurse at Main Line Health requires that all participants sit for the Periop 101 exam at the end of the course. You may be required to purchase some educational materials, such as a textbook.

Schedule

Full-time, 7:00 pm—3:30 pm, Monday through Friday

Off-shift rotations and buddy-call will occur later in your orientation so you'll be able to experience different shifts and call rotations.

Who qualifies

The program is open to experienced and new-to-practice nurses who do not have operating room experience. New-to-practice nurses must also apply to the Nurse Residency Program, as it provides additional support during the first year of nursing practice.

Applicants must:

  • Have a strong desire to work in the operating room
  • Be able to receive constructive feedback
  • Commit to orientation schedule
  • Be able to handle various smells and sights
  • Have a sense of humor!

Internal Main Line Health Employees: To be considered for the program, at time of application, candidates must have at least one year of recent acute care nursing experience and be employed at Main Line Health for at least fifteen months, per our internal transfer policy.

External Candidates: To be considered for the program, at time of application, candidates must have at least one year of recent acute care nursing experience. 

Before every application process, there are information sessions you can attend to obtain more information about the program.