# Job prospects



## Glenn599 (Feb 24, 2011)

Can anyone give me any info on getting jobs within the medical professions. I am an operating department practitioner. Thanks.


----------



## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Can you explain to me what "operating department practitioner" is? Thank you.


----------



## Glenn599 (Feb 24, 2011)

twostep said:


> Can you explain to me what "operating department practitioner" is? Thank you.


Basically I am able to assist surgeons during the operation and also help the anaesthetist put the patient asleep. I can also recover the patient after surgery.


----------



## R666 (Feb 23, 2011)

what is the education that you finished?


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Glenn599 said:


> Basically I am able to assist surgeons during the operation and also help the anaesthetist put the patient asleep. I can also recover the patient after surgery.


Medical professions, especially anything other than a fully qualified doctor and/or nurse, can be difficult to impossible to transfer to another country. The US is probably worst among them all, due to the state by state licensing. Certain medical specialties are licensed in some states, and not at all in others.

I'm not sure there is anything like an "operating department practitioner" in the US at the moment. It would either be a specialty type of nursing or some sort of para-medic designation and would require you to undergo a certain amount of re-training in order to qualify in any of the states.
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Glenn599 said:


> Basically I am able to assist surgeons during the operation and also help the anaesthetist put the patient asleep. I can also recover the patient after surgery.


Sound like surgical nurse. 
The short answer to your question - without US certification you will not find a job even in your field. Some reading material:



American Nurses Association
American Nurses Credentialing Center - ANCC - American Nurses Credentialing Center - ANCC


----------

