Sutures

[Salus]

Is learning how to suture a basic part on an RN's training?

Or, is it a part of C.E.?

Is you used only in the E.D.? Or, other departments also?

[Agnus]

NO.

Nor is it a CE.

It is outside our scope of practice.

The military is the only place I now of in the USA where nurses suture.

It is possible (I do not know) that some specially trained OR nurses might suture.

[suzanne4, RN]

RNFAs suture, but otherwise it is not in the scope of practice. At least in the US. RNFA stands for Registerd Nurse First Assistant.

[Agnus]

RNFAs suture, but otherwise it is not in the scope of practice. At least in the US. RNFA stands for Registerd Nurse First Assistant.

Ah! Thank you. I suspected as much.

Note to the original poster: I am assuming you are not an RN? so this may need clarification.

RNFA is a OR nurse.

[jemb]

In some states, such as CA, RN's can suture, but cannot 'approximate edges'. In other words, you cannot suture to close a wound or incision, but you can, for example, suture a PICC line in place.

I've never seen or heard of a CE specific to suturing.

[ayndim]

I know CNM's can suture tears or episiotomies but can NP's also suture? Never thought about it before I just assumed NP's could.

[Salus]

Thank you for your replies.

[deathnurse]

Had to through that in.

[Salus]

Suture self [/b]QUOTE]

Ouch!:)

I am aslo interested in AYNDIM's question about NP's.

[suzanne4, RN]

I know CNM's can suture tears or episiotomies but can NP's also suture? Never thought about it before I just assumed NP's could.

Sure, NPs can suture. They are not classified as RNs but as nurse providers in their scope of practice.

The only RNs that are not NPs, that can suture, are RNFAs. (within their scope of practice)

Suturing is not routine training for nurses in the US.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

It was when I was a Hospital Corpsman

[Salus]

I was looking at few NP programs online but none seemed to mention suturing. Might it be listed under something else besides suturing i.e. advanced nursing care?