Operating Room Nursing

The Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Operating Room Nursing program is designed to provide a basic foundation of knowledge for the registered nurse interested in working in the operating room setting. Based on safety of patient care, the registered nurse will become knowledgeable of the "Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN) Standards of Practice," perform operating room techniques in the scrub and circulator role and gain exposure to the general surgery arena. Clinical experience will allow the student to gain experience in the scrub and circulating role and learn the circulator's role in caring for the patient in pre-op holding, the operating room, and post-operative care environments. Upon meeting eligibility of the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI), students have the option to sit for CNOR certification.

This is a Fast Track Certificate, which can be completed in two semesters or less.

Details

Field of Interest
Health Sciences
Degree Type
Certificate of Completion (CCL)
Academic Plan
Operating Room Nursing (CER)
Academic Plan Code
5338
Total credits required
16
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2020
Admission criteria

1. Current unencumbered Arizona Registered Nurse (RN) license.
2. Formal application and admission to the program.
3. Background Check Requirements: Admission to an Allied Health program requires that students be in compliance with the Maricopa County Community College District Background Check standards. Upon conditional program enrollment, the student must comply with all requirements of the MCCCD background check policy.
4. Clinical Health and Safety requirements must be met. Upon conditional program enrollment, the student must comply with all requirements of the MCCCD clinical health and safety policy.
5. Inability to comply with Background Check requirements and/or Clinical Health and Safety requirements at the start of classes may result in cancellation of enrollment.

Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

What You'll Learn
  • Demonstrate circulating and scrubbing skills and procedures in all specialties in the operating room environment.
  • Apply didactic comprehension utilizing Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN) standards and guidelines.
  • Collaborate with members of the surgical health care team to effectively communicate and advocate for patients.
  • Engage in community activities for self and professional growth.
  • Evaluate patient care provided against current quality care standards/indicators.
  • Demonstrate legal and ethical behaviors in all nursing activities.

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Registered Nurses

$81,600

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Credits
PON210 PeriOperative Principles I Critical course Gateway course 3
PON212 PeriOperative Principles II 3
PON214 PeriOperative Laboratory 4

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Credits
PON218 PeriOperative Clinical Practice I 3
PON220 PeriOperative Clinical Practice II 3
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm11?id=145466).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Operating Room Nursing