This eight-week certificate program prepares you for a career in perioperative (OR) nursing. Designed for working nurses, the program’s curriculum is based on the field’s highest standards and features twelve hours of weekly clinical practice.
Watch what our student say about this program.
With COVID on the decline, surgeries are booming. So is the need for OR nurses.
Of the 25 nursing specialties, perioperative is the sixth highest in demand and is expected to grow by 20%. It pays more as well: the average OR nurse’s salary is 25% higher than that of a registered nurse.
To help you receive your clinical hours, CSUN arranges placements for all area residents, matching you with the healthcare facility best suited to your needs. Plus, the program takes only eight weeks to finish – much of that time spent in the actual operating room.
*Although we cannot guarantee placements for residents outside of the Los Angeles or Ventura County areas, we will make every effort to help you find a suitable local health care facility.
The transformative power of this certificate, backed by your experience, is enormous. It’ll not only grow your career – it’ll save lives.
At CSUN, we don’t fill courses. We build them, entirely from scratch, each and every time we launch a program. This leads to a unique education, with real and lasting outcomes in your career.
Our world-class faculty design and teach all courses, helping you gain today’s most in-demand skills – and bringing the industry directly to you.
When you enroll, we place you in a small, interactive group of peers from diverse organizations and industries. And from day one to graduation, you’ll learn and grow together.
As you earn your education, we’ll stay with you every step of the way, offering close, personal support when and where you need it.
To create this program, we worked closely with our partners in healthcare to identify the most useful and professionally attractive skills for perioperative nursing. In a single, eight-week course, you’ll receive the advanced preparation needed to begin a career in any aspect of the field: pre-operative, operative or post-operative.
The curriculum is based also on standards provided by the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) – the field’s leading professional organization.
When you finish the program, you’ll have much of the preparation needed to sit for the Certified Perioperative Credential (CNOR) exam. The only accredited certification for perioperative nurses, the CNOR – and the preparation you’ll receive for it – is an exceptional opportunity for professional development.
Answer: If you’re employed at a local hospital and would like to switch disciplines into a high-demand field, then this is an excellent option for you. The career outlook for perioperative nurses is outstanding, growing at a rate of 1-2% each year, with nearly a quarter of all OR nurses set to retire by 2025.
Answer: An eight-week course of study, this program features a total of six hours of classroom and online instruction. The bulk of your time, however, will be spent on clinical work, helping you to hone your hands-on abilities and prepare for the rigors of the surgical process. The clinical component of the certificate is 12 hours per week. This equates, between course work and fieldwork, to a total of 144 hours for the entire program.
Answer: A student should have good communication and writing skills. Also, the student should be willing to participate and add to the course discussion, plus demonstrate strong clinical ability in practical settings.
Answer: The age range of our healthcare programs varies widely, from late 20s to 50s. Participants typically work in the sector, with jobs in everything from nursing to radiology and public health.
Answer: With this certificate, you can play an integral role in the operating rooms of hospitals around the country. Whether it’s before, during or after surgery, your work will have a direct and immediate impact on the lives of patients and families nationwide.
Answer: Yes, there are weekly virtual sessions one night per week where students connect with the professor and one another.
For additional questions and answers, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Job postings for Operating Room Registered Nurses have increased by 147% between Jan 2021 and December 2022.— Nurse Journal
According to a report by the Association of periOperative Nurses (AORN), CNORs earned $2,600 more than RNs, on average, each year.— Nurse Journal
Open perioperative nursing positions have increased from 3% in 2012 to 11% in 2021.OR Today
Approximately 44% of the respondents said that their facility pays more to employees who hold the CNOR nursing certification. — 2022 AORN salary and compensation Survey
Between Jan 2021 and Dec 2022, there were 151,732 unique job postings for the occupation Operating Room Registered Nurses.
Within the next two years, the shortage of nurses in the U.S. is expected to reach 1.1 million. — Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
