Operating room nursing school

The school is authorized by the President of the Regional Council of Normandy to welcome a promotion of 25 IBODE per year.

The school is run by a director, approved by the president of the Normandy Region . It is responsible for the approvals and operating authorization of the school.

The University of Caen Normandie, managing body of the IBODE school, is responsible for the teaching relating to the Master's degree.

Caen Normandy University training sheet

AFNOR certifies that the CAEN University Hospital Center has been judged to comply with the requirements for carrying out training activities.

Certificate No. 2022/98983.1

• Decree No. 2022-732 of April 27, 2022 relating to the procedures for issuing the state operating theater nurse diploma and the award of the master's degree
• Order of April 27, 2022 relating to training leading to the state diploma of operating room nurse Decree No. 2008-824 of August 21, 2008 relating to lifelong professional training for hospital public service agents
• Order of May 9, 2023 amending Order of April 27, 2022 relating to training leading to the state diploma of operating room nurse
• Modified decree of February 24, 2014 relating to the methods of organization and validation of acquired experience for obtaining the State diploma of operating room nurse.
• Order of December 19, 2016 amending that of February 24, 2014 relating to the terms of organization and validation of acquired experience for obtaining the state diploma of operating room nurse

The training leading to the IBODE diploma – master grade – is provided by the IBODE schools attached to the universities. It is organized over two years.

Diploma level : 7 grade master (instead of 6)

Duration : 4 semesters (instead of 3)

Training reference

Training is provided at accredited or co-accredited higher education institutions.

Back to school : September or October

Duration : 3600 hours, i.e. 4 semesters (120 European credits)

Continuous or discontinuous, over a maximum period of 3 years (except in VAE).

Theoretical teaching can be carried out remotely depending on the modules concerned, within the limit of 50% of the total duration of the theoretical training.

12 teaching units (UE)

• UE Nursing sciences and operating room (5 European credits)
• UE Medical-surgical sciences (16 European credits)
• UE Complex surgical assistance techniques (7 European credits)
• UE Coordination of care activities related to peri-operative, pre, per and post-operative processes (5 European credits)
• EU Risk prevention and management (14 European credits)
• EU Training, tutoring and skills development (3 European credits)
• EU Modern language (4 European credits)
• UE Memory (6 European credits)
• UE Analysis of professional practices (4 European credits)
• Optional UE (1 European credit) of choice of school

Training in a professional environment (47 European credits)

47 weeks of 35 hours (i.e. 1,645 hours), including a minimum of 6 weeks to carry out surgical assistant missions.

Possible learning and validation of acquired experience (VAE) pathways

RNCP file 

UFR website link – Unicaen

At the end of the training, the operating theater nurse must be able to:

• to organize, carry out care and activities related to the surgical gesture, pre, per and post interventional with people benefiting from surgical, endoscopic and other invasive technical procedures for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes.
• to implement health and safety measures taking into account the risks inherent in the nature of the interventions and the specificity of the patients, working in a protected area and the use of specific medical devices.
• to implement the acts and activities falling within its exclusive competence.

In view of the law of February 2005 for equal rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of people with disabilities, the principles of non-discrimination and accessibility are applied to training.

A disability representative is in contact with all the paramedical training structures at the CAEN University Hospital. Concerned students can contact her via the address: pfp-sec-dir@chu-caen.fr

Vigilant point:

There is no obligation for the student to communicate their disability situation to their training structure, either at the time of the competition or during their training.

The disability situation of a candidate or student is confidential, even if it may be a secret shared between professionals of the training structure.

Training financed either by health establishments, or by OPCOs or by Pôle Emploi, etc.

Before entering the school, you must make sure of the method of financing your training and of your resources for the duration of your training.

From the start of the school year in September 2023, those eligible for regional funding (with reference to article 2.1.1 of the attached regulations) benefit from full coverage of the educational cost.

For non-eligible audiences, the 2023-2024 educational cost will amount to €8,500 for the year.

• theoretical training and guided work time of 33 weeks spread over each semester in several fields: Nursing sciences and operating room, Medical-surgical sciences, Coordination of care activities linked to peri-operative, pre, per and post-operative processes, prevention and risk management, modern language and research.
• 47-week clinical training : internships are distributed alternately from the 1st year in all areas of activity of theIBODE:
  • 9 weeks of internships in S1
  • 5 weeks of internships in S2
  • 15 weeks of internships in S3
  • 18 weeks of internships in S4
• Annual leave: 2 weeks of annual leave during the academic year, the dates of which are determined by management.

Educational project

Start : 1st week of September

End : end of June of year N+2

Work-study training

The school has chosen to integrate Open Distance Learning into the training system. A real educational tool, the FOAD facilitates the reflective approach of students. This tool also allows a certain flexibility in access to training content, mobilizes other communication channels and allows collaborative activities.

Reflexivity and the analysis of practices find meaning in professional training in order to develop the skills necessary for a IBODE .

By associating reflective practice with the analysis of practices according to the following methods: debriefing (after work on a simulator or after training in a real situation), remediation based on distance learning, and use of the IBODE student internship wonders, and works on the co-construction of the meaning given to the practice and/or the improvement of professional techniques. The training managers therefore seek to mobilize the learner's capacities for analysis, self-assessment and constructive criticism.

The learning situations proposed to the students are thought out and constructed as a team because it is not only a question of having situations known to all but also of proposing progressive emblematic situations.

The individualization of the courses is characterized in particular by the choice of internship sites to be favored according to the professional experience of the student. The methods of assignment of courses are known to the students. The school establishes a sequence of internships over the 3 semesters taking into account the training reference system, the educational project, the internship offer and the professional course of each student. Two to three internships will take place at a distance from the reference institution. The students have a course in consultation with the entire promotion and under the supervision of the teaching team. Adjustments can be made based on individual student plans, the internship offer and practical feasibility.

Optional internships are planned with regard to the student's experience and professional project. They take place in at least 3 different operating sectors.

The training is provided by training health executives, State-certified Operating Room Nurses, who have varied professional experience and university qualifications: University Diplomas, Licenses, Masters.

The permanent trainers work in collaboration with university teachers and professionals in the field. Since 2013, students have benefited from a university digital platform that allows them access to educational content remotely.

List of speakers

Each student is followed during the training by a referent trainer who accompanies him in the acquisition of his skills. It is conducted individually and/or collectively by the teaching team.

This follow-up can be organized on a regular basis according to the training stages and at the request of the student or the referent trainer.

The validation of the training is based on a continuous evaluation system. Each validation of teaching unit and each internship is valued by one or more European Credits ( ECTS ):

• 73ECTS for teaching units.
• 47ECTS for practical internship training.

Assessment methods: Individual or collective

Online homework submissions, table assignments, oral presentations (in groups or individually) of work, simulated situations, analysis of clinical situations.

Partial calendars 24-26

The operating theater nursing school is part of a training center where are grouped:

• initial training : nurse, paramedic, nursing assistant, medical electroradiology technician
• specialty training : nurse anesthetists, childcare worker
• the training of health managers
• medical training : medicine, pharmacy, maieutics, speech therapy

The grouping of these training courses on a single site makes it possible to develop shared and innovative educational activities: lessons and multi-professional internships.

The building is accessible to people with disabilities. A disability adviser is in contact with all the training structures. The students concerned can contact her via the school secretariat.

Internships are carried out in sectors approved by the school and take place mainly at the CAEN University Hospital and in hospitals in the region by agreement.

At the request of a student, an internship in another establishment can be accepted if it meets the “qualifying” internship criteria defined by the school according to the recommendations of the training framework.

The training includes 47 weeks of 35 hours of clinical teaching in the following sectors of activity:

• Bone and joint surgery (8 weeks)
• Visceral surgery (8 weeks)
• Centralized sterilization, hospital hygiene, endoscopy, interventional radiology (1 week / discipline)
• Research (4 weeks)
• Surgical assistant missions (6 weeks minimum)
• Internships in other disciplines depending on the student's experience and professional project as well as the school's educational project (17 weeks)

The benchmark gives rise to the allocation of credits in accordance with the European Credits Transfer System. The principles governing the allocation of credits are 30 credits per training semester.

The operating room nurse's state diploma certifies a level validated by obtaining 120 European credits; corresponding to the acquisition of 73 ECTS for theoretical teaching and 47 ECTS for clinical teaching.

The training credits, associated with teaching units and internships, are awarded by an allocation commission (semestrial Jury) , chaired by the director of the IBODE school .

The validation of several teaching units of the same block of skills belonging to the same semester can be organized during the same test. The grades corresponding to each teaching unit are then identifiable.

The student must obtain a mark at least equal to ten out of twenty in the evaluation of each teaching unit for it to be validated.

To validate each block of skills, the student must validate the teaching units and internships concerned. Depending on the competency blocks concerned, the assessment can be carried out in simulated situations. There can be no compensation between skill blocks.

The obtaining of the State diploma and the attribution of the master's degree is carried out by the acquisition of 120 ECTS for the 4 semesters of training. It is issued by the University of Caen.

The operating room nurse most often works in the operating room but can also work in interventional radiology departments. He/she can evolve towards the functions of health executive after 4 years of professional practice.

For the 2025-2027 academic year, the selection tests for operating theater nurse training as defined by the decree of April 27, 2022 relating to training leading to the state operating theater nurse diploma include:

• An admissibility test on file and
• An admission based on an individual interview

The selection tests assess the aptitude of the candidates to follow the education leading to the State Diploma of Operating Room Nurse.

The selection for admission to school of nursing and nursing in the operating room is made on the basis of filing an eligibility file and an interview, after having applied online via the CHU Caen Normandy competition :

This eligibility file must include the following documents

1. Copy of an identity document
2. A written request to participate in the selection tests
3. A letter of commitment from the candidate to pay the tuition fees
4. A resume
5. Copy of the originals of their titles, diplomas or certificates
6. For nursing students, the 3rd year schooling certificate from IFSI and on the day of the interview the result of the semester 5 credit allocation committee, and for nurses mentioning a salaried or self-employed practice
7. Valid level 2 emergency care and action training certificate
8. A medical certificate of vaccinations in accordance with the regulations in force setting the conditions for immunization of healthcare professionals in France
9. A file setting out the professional project

Instructions to follow for the constitution of your file:

• Your production is in paper format. Two copies must be provided.
• Your production cannot exceed 5 pages (double-sided)
• You will use Arial font size 11 with 1.5 line spacing
• Your file must be paginated
• The latest deadline to submit your file is Friday April 18, 2025 midnight (mail of the postal post).

Exhibits 4, 5, 6 and 9 of the eligibility file are assessed with regard to the training expectations listed in Appendix IV and scored out of 20 points by a pair of evaluators composed of an operating room nurse with a diploma from State with three years of professional experience or a state-certified operating theater nurse and a permanent trainer or a director of an operating theater nursing school.

Candidates who have obtained a mark greater than or equal to 10 out of 20 are declared eligible.

All applicants are personally informed in writing whether or not they are eligible for the individual admission interview. Only this letter has legal value.

The interview in accordance with Article 10 of the Decree of April 27, 2022 relating to training leading to the State diploma of nurse / operating theater nurse, lasts 20 minutes and is scored out of 20 points.

It includes an oral presentation by the candidate on his professional project scored out of 8 points, followed by an interview with the jury scored out of 12 points. The purpose of this test is to assess the candidate's ability to express themselves and organize their ideas in order to argue coherently on the elements presented in the eligibility file, to assess the candidate's skills and ability to follow the training, to assess the professional project of the candidate and his motivation

Any mark lower than the average is eliminatory.

This interview can be carried out via remote communication tools, allowing the identification of the candidates and the members of the jury and guaranteeing the confidentiality of the interview and the debates for the candidates residing in the overseas departments and regions and applying to metropolitan schools.

• Closing of registrations : April 18, 2025 midnight
  Any file received after this date (mail of the postal post) will be rejected.
• Eligibility on file : between April 10 and 29, 2025
• Eligibility results : April 30, 2025 at 12 p.m.
• Individual admission interviews : June 11-12, 2025
• Publication of results: June 13, 2025 at 12 p.m.

In addition to the approved theoretical capacity and within the limit of 5% of the approved workforce, may be admitted:

• Persons holding the state midwifery diploma;
• Students who have validated the third year of the second cycle of medical studies;
• Holders of a state nursing diploma and a recognized master's degree.

For these candidates, the selection process only the admission interview defined in article 10 of the decree of April 27, 2022.

Registration for the admission interview is done by submitting a file including:

• A written request to participate in the selection tests
• Copy of an identity document
• A resume
• Copy of the originals of their titles, diplomas or certificates
• A file setting out the professional project
• Valid level 2 emergency care and action training certificate
• A medical certificate of vaccinations in accordance with the regulations in force setting the conditions for immunization of healthcare professionals in France
• A letter of commitment to pay the tuition fees

In addition to the approved theoretical capacity and within the limit of 5% of the approved workforce, persons holding a foreign nursing diploma that does not allow them to practice in France may be admitted. To be admitted, these people must take tests to assess their professional level and a test to assess their mastery of the French language.

These selection tests are organized under the responsibility of the school director, in consultation with the cultural service of the French embassy in the country concerned. The subjects are proposed and corrected by the teaching team of the school chosen by the candidate.

To register for these tests, people must submit a file containing the following documents:

• Copy of an identity document
• A resume
• Copy of the originals of their titles, diplomas or certificates
• A file setting out the professional project
• A medical certificate of vaccinations in accordance with the regulations in force setting the conditions for immunization of healthcare professionals in France
• Proof of financial and medico-social coverage for the duration of the studies
• A letter of commitment to pay the tuition fees

The documents must be translated by a translator approved by the French courts or authorized to intervene with the judicial or administrative authorities of a Member State of the European Union or of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or of the Swiss Confederation or the Principality of Andorra.

Candidates taking the admission tests with a disability can submit a request for adaptation of the tests. They send their request to one of the doctors appointed by the Commission for the Rights and Autonomy of Persons with Disabilities and inform the training institutes.

The school principal implements the recommended accommodation measures according to the possibilities.

In accordance with the decree of April 27, 2022 relating to training leading to the State diploma of operating theater nurse, to access training at the School of Operating Theater Nurses, it is necessary to:

• Hold either a diploma, certificate or other title mentioned in Article L.4311-3 or Article L. 4311-12 of the Public Health Code allowing them to practice the nursing profession without limitation , or an authorization to practice issued by the regional prefect in application of article L.4311-4 of the public health code, by the following means:

1. Initial training under student status or by apprenticeship
2. Continuing professional training
3.  The validation, partial or total, of acquired experience, under the conditions set by the decree of February 24, 2014 referred to above
   • Have successfully passed the selection tests of the entry process
   • Have paid the school registration fees set each year by ministerial decree
   • Have subscribed by convention the commitment to pay the tuition fees.

Admission to training is subject to the selection process defined in article 8 of the training decree of April 27, 2022.

All the additional parts are to be provided complete and not stapled before April 18, 2025 midnight (mail of the postal post) .

Drop off at the reception of the Pôle des Formations et de Recherche en Santé or in the mailbox located at the entrance to the building at the following address: PFRS, 2 rue des Rochambelles, 14000 Caen or by post to
the school
of 'IBODE CHU Caen Normandy Avenue de la Côte de Nacre CS 30001 14033 Caen Cedex 9

The score out of 40 in the admission tests is the total of the scores obtained in the eligibility file and the individual admission interview. The highest ranked candidates within the limit of the approved capacity of the school are declared admitted.

When the results are published, a main list and a complementary list will be drawn up. The main and additional lists (without mentioning the marks of the candidates) are displayed in the hall of the PFRS and available on this website CHU Caen Normandie competition platform :

• Eligibility: Wednesday April 30, 2025 · 12 p.m.
• Admission: Friday June 13, 2025 · 12 p.m.

In accordance with article 27 of the data-processing law and freedoms n°78-17 , you profit from a right of access and rectification of information. You can therefore oppose the publication of your name on these lists. In this case, you will be sure to tick the box provided for this purpose on the competition registration form.

All candidates are personally informed by mail of their results. If within 10 days following the posting, the candidate has not given his written agreement , he is presumed to have waived his admission and his place is offered to the candidate registered in useful rank on the complementary list.

If within 10 days following the posting, a candidate ranked on the main list or on the additional list has not confirmed in writing his wish to enter training, he is presumed to have waived his admission or his ranking on the complementary list and its place is proposed to the candidate registered in useful row on this last list.

The results of the selection process are only valid for the academic year for which it was organised.

However, the director of the school may grant, for a period that he determines and within the cumulative limit of two years, a postponement for the start of schooling in the training institute (article 13-II of the decree of April 27, 2022) .

Each year, the school offers preparation for the selection tests for entry into operating theater nurse training, the duration, dates and content of the sessions are defined in the preparatory training sheets available here -After.

“Preparation for the written file for eligibility in IBODE school ” on 01/13/2025 (1 day).

“ Preparation for individual interviews for admission to ibode school ” on 05/14/2025, only open to eligible (1/2 day).