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What is a perioperative nurse and how to become one
What general advice would you give to a perioperative nurse?
Dr. Beverly Malone Ph.D.
President and CEO, National League for Nursing
You also need to talk to your employer about flexibility around taking time away from your work to recharge and refresh. New graduates should also consider their work-life balance to maintain their well-being. Those looking for new jobs will need to consider their well-being as a priority as they compare positions and opportunities.
Avg. Salary $74,223
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%
Asian 9.09%
Black or African American 11.38%
Hispanic or Latino 9.70%
Unknown 4.31%
White 65.08%
Genderfemale 85.33%
male 14.67%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Perioperative nurse career paths
Key steps to become a perioperative nurse
Explore perioperative nurse education requirements
Start to develop specific perioperative nurse skills
Skills Percentages Patients 34.92% BLS 7.17% PACU 4.56% Acute Care 3.98% Acls 3.77% Complete relevant perioperative nurse training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New perioperative nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a perioperative nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real perioperative nurse resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed perioperative nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed perioperative nurse in most of states. 43 states require perioperative nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama Degree required State exam required Registered Nurse (RN) Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Registered Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Registered Nurse (RN) California Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse, Registered Colorado Degree required Third-party exam required Registered Nurse Research perioperative nurse duties and responsibilities
- Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
- Prepare patients for surgical procedures, according to specific physician orders, anesthesia orders and facility policy.
- Provide PACU care, monitoring airway, vitals and pain levels.
- Transport patient to PACU safely, and provide report to the nurse receiving care of the patient.
Prepare your perioperative nurse resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your perioperative nurse resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a perioperative nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable perioperative nurse resume templates
Build a professional perioperative nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your perioperative nurse resume.
Apply for perioperative nurse jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a perioperative nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first perioperative nurse job
Are you a perioperative nurse?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average perioperative nurse salary
The average perioperative nurse salary in the United States is $74,223 per year or $36 per hour. Perioperative nurse salaries range between $47,000 and $117,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do perioperative nurses rate their job?
Perioperative nurse reviews
Caring for patients
Staffing ratios, unfairness, constant expectations. Healthcare is a business but doesn’t treat nurses like business employees
Caring for others. The different procedures and experiences I come in contact with daily.
The hours worked at times. The pay could be greater.
The feeling I get when helping people.
Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.
Updated January 8, 2025
