Perioperative Nursing Post-RN Certificate

This distance education program has been approved by the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada.

Registered nursing programs may only provide students with minimal exposure to specialty areas and, as a result, fewer nurses are considering perioperative nursing as a career choice. The GPRC Perioperative Nursing Certificate program has been developed to fill this educational need by utilizing the current Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC) recommended core curriculum:  Perioperative Education Programs for Registered Nurses.

This program includes theory content from nursing, sciences, and the humanities. The focus is on individualized, patient-oriented care. Using context-based learning and the principles of adult learning, the program is delivered by using online synchronous and asynchronous learning strategies. In addition, clinical assignments are designed to provide the learner with opportunities to apply perioperative registered nursing theory in the practice setting.

Using a unique knowledge base and utilizing the nursing process, perioperative registered nurses are able to meet the individual needs of patients during the surgical experience.

Through four core courses, this program will prepare the registered nurse to function in the perioperative environment at the advanced novice level; that is, as a registered nurse who can demonstrate acceptable performance with the support of an experienced mentor. The program consists of two theory courses, one skills lab, and one clinical practice course.

Students will be required to attend 32 hours of skills lab in an operating room setting under the direction of a designated instructor.  A skills lab (OR4020) is held in Grande Prairie or, at times, may be offered at various sites as arranged by the program instructor. The clinical practicum (OR4040) is accomplished through clinical placement and executed with the assistance of preceptors and the program instructor.