Hi, I'm new to this forum and I wanted to know if the NP can assist in surgery (similar to how the PA can assist in surgery). If so, which specialty NP track should I choose? I'm thinking of becoming an RNFA but I was wondering what types of jobs are available for the RNFA with an advanced practice degree. Thanks, and sorry if my questions have been answered already somewhere on this forum.
ktliz 379 Posts Specializes in critical care. Apr 13, 2011 Perhaps this thread will be of interest: https://allnurses.com/nurse-practitioners-np/surgical-first-assist-438395.html
CRF250Xpert 233 Posts Specializes in ICU, ER, OR, FNP. Apr 14, 2011 rnfa is a very good idea if surgery is really your goal. without it, you are eventually going to have your bon asking you when exactly it was during your curriculum and clinicals as an np student that you learned to do surgery.they might not take, “well one of the surgeons showed me how to xyz” as an acceptable answer. ask yourself, would you want your mom getting a cabg with a np who gives that kind of answer?with that said, i knew a np who was the ct surgeon’s right hand. she was involved in everything from a to z and would harvest grafts, close, help anastomose, etc. i personally wondered where she got that kind of training that the plaintiff’s lawyer wouldn’t find objectionable, but i just always think like that since i guard my own license pretty closely. some folks are reckless and feel invincible once a md takes them under the wing.i try to remember it’s my license and (as nice as he is) my md won’t be there when the law suits start flying. before i went to grad school, i was trained to do chest tubes, cut down trach, cut down groin lines, etc. will you ever see me to any of that ever anywhere? no way. if it’s not on your syllabus – use caution and remember whose lawyer you’ll have to answer to.
CCRNDiva, BSN, RN 365 Posts Specializes in Level II Trauma Center ICU. Has 7 years experience. Apr 14, 2011 UAB has a combined Acute Care NP/RNFA program. I think you are required to have OR experience though.
Alisabeth, BSN, MSN, DNP 75 Posts Specializes in FNP, Surgery. Has 14 years experience. Apr 16, 2011 Yes, nurse practitioners can first assist in surgery. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner, and I specialize in neurosurgery. I was an operating room nurse for several years, so I already knew how to scrub and assist. I do not have my RNFA, although that is something I will be probably work towards in the future. Some hospitals where you will either work or have privileges at require you to have your RNFA. I am at a HCA hospital, and they do not.
CRF250Xpert 233 Posts Specializes in ICU, ER, OR, FNP. Apr 19, 2011 I am a Family Nurse Practitioner, and I specialize in neurosurgery... I do not have my RNFAI do not doubt your skill or ability and maybe you do have a ton of certs and 1,000 CME in neurosurgery, but when did you learn to do neurosurgery? Your BON might look more favorably if you had all of the certs to go with the experience. Right or wrong, I always have the plaintiff's lawyer in mind. You do know that with the first bad outcome, the surgeon is going to blame you and the BON is going to throw you under the bus.
Alisabeth, BSN, MSN, DNP 75 Posts Specializes in FNP, Surgery. Has 14 years experience. Apr 19, 2011 i chose to specialize in neurosurgery as a registered nurse in the operating room. when i went back for my master's and doctorate, i had my advanced clinical rotations in neurosurgery as well as neurology. yes, i do have a lot of certification and have attended a lot of courses for my specialization. these are not required, but are something i enjoy doing.i'm sure it varies by state, but in florida before you even begin practicing as a nurse practitioner. you and the physician you work with must provide the bon with specific details of what you will be doing in your position and specialty. they have to approve this before you can begin working. so, i do not have to be worried about being "thrown under the bus", to the bon. they have already approved every clinical skill/procedure/first assisting i do in my position. the surgeon also must sign this letter that he supervises everything i do, and is responsible for me. this is florida specific. as i stated in my previous post, the rnfa is something i will probably work towards in the future. yes, i know it does look more favorable to have your rnfa when you are in surgery. for now i practice in full accordance to my state laws and my hospital regulations, which does not require you to have your rnfa.
TakeBack 203 Posts Apr 20, 2011 i chose to specialize in neurosurgery as a registered nurse in the operating room. when i went back for my master's and doctorate, i had my advanced clinical rotations in neurosurgery as well as neurology. yes, i do have a lot of certification and have attended a lot of courses for my specialization. these are not required, but are something i enjoy doing.i'm sure it varies by state, but in florida before you even begin practicing as a nurse practitioner. you and the physician you work with must provide the bon with specific details of what you will be doing in your position and specialty. they have to approve this before you can begin working. so, i do not have to be worried about being "thrown under the bus", to the bon. they have already approved every clinical skill/procedure/first assisting i do in my position. the surgeon also must sign this letter that he supervises everything i do, and is responsible for me. this is florida specific. as i stated in my previous post, the rnfa is something i will probably work towards in the future. yes, i know it does look more favorable to have your rnfa when you are in surgery. for now i practice in full accordance to my state laws and my hospital regulations, which does not require you to have your rnfa. so did you have surgical training as part of your np program? were you scrubbing/assisting in your np clinical rotations?
cassowary 4 Posts Apr 29, 2011 Yes, nurse practitioners can first assist in surgery. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner, and I specialize in neurosurgery. I was an operating room nurse for several years, so I already knew how to scrub and assist. I do not have my RNFA, although that is something I will be probably work towards in the future. Some hospitals where you will either work or have privileges at require you to have your RNFA. I am at a HCA hospital, and they do not.hello, Alisabeth, thanks for replying! your reply has been the most helpful for me so far!if you don't mind, can you please tell me what are your duties as the fnp who assists in neurosurgery? what procedures do you do while assisting? i'm a bit confused, but how did you learn how to assist since you have not completed an rnfa program (if you can't tell already i basically know nothing about np school and what they actually instruct in relevance to surgery)? and what is it that you do as the fnp who specializes in neurosurgery outside the operating room (such as before surgery and after surgery)? i am soooo interested in your profession and i am burning to know more!again, thanks for being so great, Alisabeth!
cassowary 4 Posts Apr 29, 2011 UAB has a combined Acute Care NP/RNFA program. I think you are required to have OR experience though.thanks for the information, you are great!
CCRNDiva, BSN, RN 365 Posts Specializes in Level II Trauma Center ICU. Has 7 years experience. Apr 30, 2011 You're welcome:):)!
frUABgrad 17 Posts May 3, 2011 UAB has a combined Acute Care NP/RNFA program. I think you are required to have OR experience though. I graduate on Saturday from UAB's ACNP/RNFA program. No OR experienced required, you get plenty of that during your clinical rotations.
