When you join the perioperative services team at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), you become part of Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, the region’s only surgery institute. You join a team of experts with a depth and breadth of surgical knowledge that’s unmatched in the area, with expertise in less-invasive techniques and robotic technology.

LPNs in the operating room

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who are interested in working in the perioperative setting can join LVHN and receive on-the-job training. You will be immersed in the scrub role within LVHN operating rooms (ORs), working to support aseptic technique, provide physicians with the instruments and tools to do their job and be part of a comprehensive interdisciplinary team that focuses on patient safety and advocacy.

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Operating Room Internship for GNs and RNs

This internship introduces graduate nurses (GNs) and registered nurses (RNs) to the perioperative role in the operating room. Learn from knowledgeable, experienced educators and preceptors who teach curricula developed and supported by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses and apply your skills in a clinical setting. 

After completing the Operating Room Internship at LVHN, you are eligible for a full-time position in perioperative services.

We are honored to call ourselves the only Magnet®-recognized organization in the Lehigh Valley. The American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program is the most prestigious designation a hospital can earn. Magnet recognition demonstrates that LVHN supports professional nurses to be their best. Our nurses are leaders who are empowered to grow in their profession and help shape the future of patient care while providing compassionate, evidence-based care.

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Frequently asked questions

What will I learn in the Operating Room Internship?

Nurses have the opportunity to:

  • Learn the role of the registered nurse in the perioperative setting
  • Use principles of aseptic technique in patient care
  • Gain experience in scrubbing, circulating and using surgical equipment
  • Develop skills in applying the nursing process throughout all operative phases

How long is the internship?

LVHN’s Operating Room Internship is a six-month paid didactic internship. 

Where will the internship take place?

There are a variety of campus learning opportunities, including Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg and Lehigh Valley Health Network–Tilghman, the region’s only campus dedicated to orthopedics with four state-of-the art operating rooms.

What benefits are provided?

You are considered a full-time employee during the internship. For all full-time colleagues, we offer generous paid time off, competitive compensation packages and a culture of wellness benefits. After completing the full-time internship, nurses are eligible for weekend programs and flexible scheduling. You’ll have access to professional and leadership development resources from our Center for Professional Excellence.

As an LPN, I don’t have specific training to the OR. Do you teach me how to function there?

Yes. You will start in the classroom reviewing key topics related to the OR, including gowning, gloving, sterile technique, specimen collection and instrument recognition. Simulation settings help further reinforce these guiding principles. You will then be paired with preceptors as you enter the OR with patients. You will rotate through different specialties and spend your final weeks of orientation in the specialty you are hired into.