Nursing shortages in the OR: solutions for new models of education

The professional literature predicts worldwide perioperative nursing shortages. Compounding this is the absence of perioperative curricula in most nursing programs, which reduces new graduate interest in and awareness of employment opportunities in the OR environment. Educators at a university and a large hospital system formed an innovative partnership to create a pilot undergraduate nursing course to better prepare nurses for the surgical setting. The course was offered in a condensed-semester format and included online activities, simulation experiences, classroom discussions, and clinical experiences in a small group setting. Two of the four nursing students in the course were hired directly into the perioperative setting after graduation, decreasing hospital costs related to recruitment and orientation. The success of the course led to its integration into the undergraduate curriculum, thus providing a valuable elective option for junior and senior nursing students, as well as achieving a new model for perioperative nursing education.