Tampa General Hospital's perioperative transition program (PTP) is an approximately 6-month blended learning plan that provides registered nurses with the specialized skills and clinical experience necessary for a successful career in the operating room.
Eligibility Requirements
Participants in TGH's perioperative transition program must have:
- Florida RN license; BCLS required
- BSN strongly preferred
- 1-2 years of acute care clinical RN experience preferred, but not required
- Commitment to intense, supportive, and structured blended learning program
- Physical requirements:
- Continuous standing and walking
- Heavy lifting of up to 25 lbs.
- Pushing/pulling
- Bending/stooping
- Wearing surgical masks, eye protection, and other personal protective equipment (PPE)
Program Specifics
- Hours: Monday-Friday 8-hour shifts flexed between 6:30am and 12:00am with weekend rotations if needed for training/clinical experience during the program
- Trainees will be placed at TGH Davis Island's Operating Room Platforms: Main OR Level 1 Trauma, 3F OR, 4K Women's Center OR, Cardiac/Vascular/Transplant OR (CVTOR), 6K OR Robotic Center of Excellence
- Surgical Services Leadership determines shift, department, and service lines based on unit and patient care needs
- Holiday, weekend, on-call, and stay-late coverage upon completion of program
- Must live within 30 minutes of hospital for call requirements
- Minimum 3-year dedication to OR Nursing at TGH Davis Island Main Campus after successful completion of orientation
Program Structure
The perioperative transition program at TGH features two strategically designed sections:
Perioperative Foundations (Section 1)
Under the guidance of experienced perioperative nurse educators, perioperative transition program (PTP) nurses will:
- Utilize blended learning approach (online, classroom, clinical) to build core foundation of perioperative nursing, utilizing the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Periop 101™ curriculum
- Complete daily required homework/reading assignments and weekly tests
- Attend classroom lectures and hands-on OR skills labs
- Complete clinicals in the operating room under direct guidance of perioperative preceptors
- Achieve basic competency in the scrub role
- Pass AORN Periop 101™ final exam
OR Service Line Specialties (Section 2)
Under guidance of experienced perioperative preceptors, perioperative transition program (PTP) nurses will:
- Rotate through specialty service lines
- Obtain required preceptor/clinician evaluations and feedback
- Complete clinical rotation track in the OR; shifts flexed between 6:30am and 12:00am with weekend rotation for clinical experience during the program
- Achieve core competencies in specialty service lines in both the circulating and scrub roles
Participating Surgical Specialties
TGH's main campus features 52 operating rooms and offers inpatient and outpatient procedures in a variety of specialties, including:
- Cardiac
- Vascular
- Transplant
- General/colorectal
- Neurological/spine
- Orthopedic/total joint
- ENT/thyroid/parathyroid
- Plastic/burn/reconstructive
- Gynecological/IVF
- Urology
- Robotics
- Bariatrics
- Pediatrics
- Trauma
Contact TGH
To apply for the program, visit www.tgh.org/careers or contact TGH Talent Acquisition at (813) 844-7551.
