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This question is about registered nurse med/surg.
How long does it take to become a med/surg nurse?
It takes approximately two to five years to become a med/surg nurse (perioperative nurse). The time it takes an individual depends on where they are in their nursing education or career.
Typically a person who wants to become a perioperative nurse needs to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). While a person can become a resident nurse (RN) with only an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN), it is much harder to jump to higher levels of the field without a BSN.
An additional year of education and training is generally required to become a perioperative nurse who works in the pre-op, intra-op, and post-op areas. This is available in on-the-job programs in hospitals, or from a post-bachelor's perioperative certificate program.
The Association of peri-Operative Registered Nurses (AORN) also offers an online program. This course provides content coupled with lab and clinical experience and includes coursework in anesthesia, surgical draping, patient and equipment safety, and many other topics.
In addition to the already mentioned necessary qualifications, in order to become a perioperative nurse, a person should have at least one of the following certifications: Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse, the Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant, or the Certified Perioperative Nurse.
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