Registered Nurse – Operating Room Perioperative Nursing Program (Postgraduate) (S414)

Program Description

Leadership Claims

Logo for the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC)

Preparing registered nurses to work in the operating room for over 50 years.

This full-time, 14-week program has been accredited with the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC) since 2017.

Program Overview

Registered Nurse – Operating Room Perioperative Nursing (Postgraduate) is a graduate certificate program for registered nurses. In one semester, students will learn the skills required to work as an operating room nurse. This program includes both a theory and clinical practice component. 

Full Description

Registered Nurse – Operating Room Perioperative Nursing (Postgraduate) (S414) is an ORNAC-approved (2021) accredited program that utilizes current perioperative nursing research and strictly adheres to the ORNAC Standards of Practice.

This graduate certificate program prepares the registered nurse to practise at a beginner level in the perioperative setting. Students will learn operating room principles and practice considerations for all surgical specialties. 

This includes:

  • the study of relevant anatomy
  • surgical modalities
  • surgical instrumentation
  • the nursing process of caring for perioperative patients
  • simulated lab practise to consolidate the development of the scrub and circulating nurse roles

Each student will complete a clinical practicum in an operating room with an emphasis on both roles in various surgical specialties. 

Course Delivery 

This course will be delivered through multimodal learning and will include: 

  • synchronous and asynchronous in class and online theory 
  • lab skills and simulations 
  • a clinical practical experience 

The program is organized in two phases. 

Phase I: Nursing 4045: Nursing Theory and Lab Skills

During the first five weeks of this program, students will learn: 

  • current ORNAC standards, principles and applications 
  • surgical anatomy and instrumentation 
  • intensive study of surgical interventions and surgical technologies 
  • role of the scrub nurse 
  • role of the circulating nurse 
  • clinical lab skills delivered at George Brown's Operating Room in our accredited Simulation Centre  

Phase II: Nursing 4046: Clinical Practicum  

During the second phase of this program, students will consolidate operating room theory and principles at a designated hospital facility during an eight-week (320-hour) clinical placement. 

This includes: 

  • development of the scrub nurse role 
  • development of the circulating nurse role 
  • exposure to various surgical specialties (i.e. General Surgery, Urology, Gynecology, Plastic Surgery, ENT and Orthopedic Surgery) 
  • safe and professional practice 

While in the clinical setting, students will participate in online discussions through live video conferences and complete clinical assignments as per the course syllabus. 

Clinical placements are coordinated by the program coordinator with hospitals in and outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), or at the hospital where the student is currently employed. A clinical placement for independent (non-hired) students must be confirmed to be considered for an acceptance in the program. Sponsored (hired) students will complete their clinical placements at the hospital where they are employed.

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Educational Pathways

Students who complete George Brown's Registered Nurse – Operating Room Perioperative Nursing graduate certificate program are eligible to submit the Course Curriculum Outline from the year the program was taken. Students may apply for a transfer credit toward the Post-Diploma B.Sc.N. program at Toronto Metropolitan University.

For further information, see the Transfer Guide.

Alumni Impact

We are immensely proud of the contributions of our alumni in Toronto and around the globe.

From Michelin-starred restaurants to major construction, entertainment, community and financial organizations, our graduates are truly making an impact across a range of industries.

Latest Alumni Stories

"The Registered Nurse – Operating Room Perioperative Nursing program provided me with the theory and skills in order to provide safe and effective patient care in a surgical setting. By practicing each new skill in the Simulation Centre, I was able to add on to my skill set and feel confident entering my 8-week clinical placement. We were given the knowledge and hands-on skills required in order to work alongside surgeons, anesthesiologists, RNFAs and other healthcare professionals in a fast-paced environment."

Mathumesa Muhunthan
Ontario College Graduate Certificate

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