RN First Assistant (RNFA) - Full-Time

NueHealth • Limerick Township, PA

5h • Onsite

About The Position

The RN First Assistant (RNFA) provides safe, high-quality care to patients in the operating room using strict aseptic technique. The role assists the surgeon with instrumentation and anticipates the surgeon’s needs, while tailoring care to individual patients, including adults, pediatric patients, and adolescents.

The RNFA performs perioperative nursing functions from preoperative assessment through surgery and transfer to the PACU. Responsibilities include supporting surgical procedures under the surgeon’s direction, maintaining patient safety and infection-control standards, communicating with the perioperative team, and providing patient education as needed. The position also serves as a resource for staff and students and contributes to evidence-based practice and research activities.

Requirements

• Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania.
• Current Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications (ACLS and PALS).
• Documentation of completion of an RNFA education program.
• Maintain certifications required by the Department of Nursing.
• Meet Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing rules and regulations before employment.
• Two years of current operating room experience.
• Demonstrated competence as a scrub and circulating nurse.
• Certification in Operating Room Nursing (CNOR).

Responsibilities

• Perform nursing within the legal framework of Pennsylvania’s Nurse Practice Act and the policies, procedures, and standards of care of the Nursing Department.
• Function independently of the scrub nurse and recognize the limits of professional experience and education, seeking help when needed.
• Use sound judgment in prioritizing and making decisions; perform responsibilities with minimal supervision as directed by the surgeon.
• Adapt to changes in work volume and staffing, advocate for patients, and maintain supportive relationships with patients and families.
• Maintain communication among perioperative team members and provide pertinent information to staff, management, physicians, and vendors.
• Assess patients in the preoperative holding area for readiness and review charts for accuracy and completion.
• Assist with preparation and administration of intraoperative medications as directed by the surgeon, observe patient responses, and follow medication safety and labeling procedures.
• Follow aseptic and infection-control standards and correct breaks in technique.
• Recognize safety hazards, take appropriate corrective action, and report unusual occurrences, situations, or hazards.
• Apply knowledge of surgical anatomy, physiology, and operative techniques relevant to the procedure.
• Assist with patient positioning, preparation, and draping; apply devices needed for the procedure as directed by the physician.
• Provide hemostasis by coagulating, clamping, or ligating vessels as directed by the surgeon.
• Expose the surgical site using instruments, retractors, suctioning, and sponging techniques under the operating surgeon’s direct supervision.
• Perform wound closure as directed, including placing and suturing drains and suturing fascia, subcutaneous tissue, and skin, or stapling skin.
• Apply surgical dressings and assist with cases and immobilizing devices; apply other devices as directed by the surgeon.
• Assess the patient’s condition during surgery through arrival in the PACU.
• Assist with transferring patients from the operating room to the PACU and provide pertinent, concise handoff information.
• Provide patient education and discharge instructions as needed.
• Serve as a role model and resource for staff and students.
• Participate in data collection for research projects and apply research findings and evidence-based practices to nursing care.
• Attend required in-services or, if absent, read and sign staff meeting minutes in the communication book.
• Demonstrate knowledge of surgical specimens and surgical counts.
• Monitor and evaluate the use of supplies and materials to support quality, cost control, and efficiency.
• Respond to emergencies as a BLS, ACLS, and PALS provider and act according to hospital protocol.
• Maintain professional knowledge through reading, study, clinical practice, and learning opportunities.
• Demonstrate understanding of the role in the hospital-wide Patient Flow Plan.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed