Rozina Aziz Learn the step-by-step process of become a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) in this comprehensive guide. Discover the education, certification, and experience requirements and the job outlook and salary potential for this rewarding career path.
What is a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA)?
An RNFA is a healthcare professional who provides assistance to a surgeon during surgical procedures. Medical professionals who specialize in this field provide valuable assistance in both surgical planning and postoperative care. Registered Nurse First Assistants (RNFAs) possess advanced skills and responsibilities in surgical settings compared to traditional nurses. Surgical assistants use nursing and medical skills to help surgeons in the operating room with tasks like controlling bleeding and suturing.
- Exposing the surgical site.
- Manipulating and cutting tissue.
- Preventing or stopping bleeding.
- Suturing.
- Managing wounds.
Promoting patient advocacy and safety pre- and post-operatively is another important part of the RNFA’s job.
What does a first-assistant registered nurse do?
The responsibilities of an RNFA vary widely depending on the hospital or clinic they are employed by and the specific surgeon they assist. You can help out before, during, and after surgery once you’ve earned your credentials. The general responsibilities of an RNFA include the following:
- Care planning and goal attainment necessitates a thorough assessment of the patient’s condition, which is documented.
- Preoperative care and surgery planning
- To ensure the best possible health outcomes for patients.
- Providing medication to patients.
- Optimal health can be achieved through patient education and family involvement.
- Patient transfer preparation and support.
- Maximizing access to the surgical site without compromising patient safety requires careful patient positioning.
- Maintaining a nursing care record is essential for quality assurance, patient safety, and nurse responsibility.
- Using many types of medical equipment.
- Tissue manipulation, incision creation, and closure.
- Reducing the risk of infection during surgery by managing wounds and keeping the operating room sterile.
- Performing hemostasis and suction
- Drainage tubes.
What skills are required for a Registered Nurse First Assistant?
RNFAs can do their jobs more effectively since they have technical and interpersonal abilities. These are the things to highlight in a job interview or on a CV. The following are necessary abilities for an RNFA:
Ability to communicate and interact:
Effective communication abilities are necessary for registered nurse first assistants to comprehend and execute a surgeon’s directives and cooperate with other members of the surgical team. With these abilities, you can better work with other healthcare team members, educate patients and their loved ones, discuss treatment plans and outcomes, and address any concerns that may arise.
Organization:
RNFA must have a system in place for staying organized. Keeping your office neat and your patients’ information secure will help you give better care.
Teamwork:
There is a high degree of collaboration between RNFAs and other medical professionals, such as surgeons, orthodontists, and laboratory technicians. The ability to collaborate effectively and earn patients’ trust is crucial. You might spend a long time with them while you figure out the best course of treatment and explain their illness to them.
Empathy:
It is important to practice empathy to show compassion and make the patient feel at ease. Patients can be put at ease and reassured through the use of empathy.
Suturing:
Suturing procedures are essential for RNFAs. With this knowledge, they can successfully close a patient’s wound.
Instruments and tools for medical use:
The knowledge of medical devices is crucial for RNFA professionals, who utilize a range of technologies and instruments to assist surgeons and provide patient care.
Careful consideration:
Throughout their work in and out of the operating room, RNFAs rely on their keen eye for detail. They rely on this ability in the operating room to carry out their tasks with pinpoint accuracy.
Physical Abilities:
Working as a surgical assistant requires a high level of mobility, coordination, and agility to lift patients and help surgeons with various procedures. These abilities are important for protecting both patients and the credibility of your profession.
Using your head:
The ability to exercise sound judgment is a sign of maturity and modesty in this field. This knowledge will help you select the best course of treatment and quickly address any problems.
Problem-solving:
Wound care, infection diagnosis, and treatment all require thinking critically and solving problems. This ability can be used in addressing difficulties patients bring up, including worries about how different treatments would influence their quality of life.
Where do Registered Nurse First Assistants work?
RNFAs must be able to think clearly and swiftly under pressure because of the nature of their profession. Employment opportunities exist in various healthcare organizations, from hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to nursing homes, obstetrical delivery rooms, dental and ophthalmological practices, plastic surgery clinics, and home healthcare agencies. To prevent harm to yourself and your patients, always exercise extreme caution. Since certain procedures can take quite a while, you may find yourself working long hours and spending a lot of time on your feet.
How to Become a Registered Nurse First Assistant?
Candidates seeking work as a Registered Nurse First Assistant must possess certain credentials that attest to their competence in performing RNFA tasks. Because courses and qualifications can vary, it’s important to research the specific work requirements for each RNFA position of interest. If you want to join the RNFA, here’s what you need to do:
Complete an Approved Nursing Degree Program and Obtain Your ADN or BSN:
An ADN program is commonly available at local community colleges. This two-year associate’s degree in nursing is designed for those seeking entry into the nursing profession. Please be aware that starting January 1, 2020, aspiring RNFAs with an ADN will need to complete a BSN program before they can apply for certification and practice as RNFAs. A BSN is an undergraduate nursing degree that takes four years to complete.
An RN-to-BSN curriculum is available to nurses who already hold an ADN. Many of these degree options are designed with the working nurse in mind and can be completed in as little as 9 months. If you already have a bachelor’s degree but want to switch careers, consider enrolling in an accelerated BSN program. Accelerated programs are extremely rigorous and often last between 11 and 18 months.
Get Your RN License by passing NCLEX-RN Exam:
To become a practicing nurse in any state, students of both associate’s and bachelor’s degree nursing programs must pass the NCLEX. Most new nurses take the certification exam within the first month after graduation. Graduates of ADN and BSN programs take the NCLEX-RN exam, whereas those of PN programs take the NCLEX-PN exam. In 2022, almost 79.9% of people taking the NCLEX-RN for the first time passed.
Learn from Real-World Surgical Practice:
Nurses seeking perioperative positions are often expected to have at least one to two years of relevant work experience in a med-surg or similar acute care setting. Some newly graduated nurses may be able to find work in the operating room (OR), and a select few may be accepted into a perioperative residency program. Experienced nurses in the acute care field may seek employment in the perioperative sector.
Consider pursuing a career as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or Certified Nurse (CNOR).
Prerequisites for the RNFA program include perioperative experience as a CNOR or APRN. The Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) offers a national certification exam for Registered Nurses (RNs) interested in becoming Certified Neonatal Intensive Care Nurses (CNORs). RNS can advance into the role of APRN by pursuing a master’s degree in the field. The typical length of time to earn an MSN degree is two years. APRNs are required to take a test developed by a course professor. Both pre-and post-operative care skills are evaluated.
Complete an RNFA program recognized by the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses.
Earning specialized board certification as an RNFA is a great way for registered nurses to demonstrate their competence in the field. An RNFA curriculum accredited by the AORN is required. Although the program allows students up to two years, many APRNs complete it within a shorter timeframe of five to eight months.
What are the practical advantages of a Registered Nurse First Assistant?
Full-time and part-time RNFA receive the same benefits regardless of the type of organization they work for. While specific perks may change from institution to institution, many schools offer at least the following:
- Medical coverage.
- Options for Old Age.
- Paid time off for families.
- Pregnancy Leave.
- Dental Care Coverage.
- Eye Care Coverage.
- Discounts.
- Advantages of Being an AORN Member.
- Paying Back College Costs.
- Participation in professional nursing meetings.
How Much Does Registered Nurse First Assistant Make?
As a Registered Nurse First Assistant, you play a crucial role in the operating room. You work alongside surgeons and other healthcare professionals to ensure the safest and most effective surgical procedures possible. But what can you expect to earn as a Registered Nurse First Assistant? To answer that question, we’ve gathered data on the average salary of Registered Nurse First Assistants in each state of the United States. Here is a list, ranked by average salary from highest to lowest:
What are the job prospects for a Registered Nurse First Assistant?
The need for RNFAs is great and will only increase in the future. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a faster-than-average 7 percent increase in demand for registered nurses between 2019 and 2029. The aging population, the rising demand for healthcare, and the scarcity of qualified healthcare workers are all contributing factors.
Employment opportunities for RNFAs are much more robust than those for registered nurses in general. There is a critical shortage of RNFAs in the United States, claims the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN). Factors, including an aging labor force and low interest in RNFA careers among nursing students, have contributed to this shortage.
Due to this deficit, the need for RNFAs is anticipated to rise steadily over the next few years. There is a high demand for RNFAs in the healthcare industry, particularly in hospitals and surgical facilities. According to the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AORN), RNFAs earn between $75,000 and $120,000 annually, making them one of the highest-paying nursing specialties.
Conclusion
Becoming a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) requires extensive training and experience. It also requires dedication and hard work. However, RNFA can reap many rewards, both financial and professional. As an RNFA, you can earn higher wages than other nurses in the field and take part in innovative procedures that save lives. With the right qualifications, you can become an RNFA and join the ranks of some of the most respected healthcare professionals in the world.
