NP First Assist Training Questions

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Specializes in ICU, Ortho.

Hello all,

I'm an NP student in the great state of Texas who will graduate in 4 months and have been asked by 2 Ortho surgeons if I would like to spend my last months in the program training with them and getting hired upon graduation. I will be following them in clinic no problem. The OR is the issue- facilities they operate at, I have spoken to their admins and they will not let me scrub or learn anything hands on- observation only, which makes sense from a liability standpoint but is not what the surgeons (nor I as I am eager to learn) want. My question is, can I get around this somehow? I am awaiting my info packet from the NIFA course- as I was planning to take the course after December as an APRN, but am now wondering if I should take the course now. However, I am not sure if that will even help, as far as getting hands on experience any sooner. I do work in a surgical facility and my administrator is allowing the scrub techs to show me the ropes (off the clock of course, as we hire RNs in the OR to circulate only). So, in Texas, what can I do, if anything, to start learning this stuff short of quitting my current Ortho job and finding a scrub nurse job?! I have finished all 660 of my state mandated Family Practice clinicals, which is why, along with my theory courses this Fall, I can get into whatever clinical experiences I want, and I really really want them to be surgical clinicals.

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Specializes in ICU, Ortho.

Nevermind to anyone who has read this. I forgot that I can't begin the RNFA course sooner than my graduation from NP school anyway because I'm not certified AORN. Spoke with the NIFA people, I can begin the modules in December, go to the workshop about an hour away in early March, then start my 120 hours of clinical.... This is what an associate with NIFA advised I do. I just hate the idea of not being able to bill separately until potentially May of 2014- and that's if I hurry through everything and log hours like crazy. Well, not so much that I hate that idea, but my surgeons will. Really not sure how things will pan out with that potential job when they know they can't make money off of my first assisting until 6 months after hiring me.

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Hey littlebelle1293,

I'm a pre nursing student about to begging nursing school and eventually plan on getting my masters or doctorate to become a NP. I love surgery and would love to assist through the operation, maybe first assist? I also love pediatrics, so maybe pediatric surgery? I've been trying to do some research on how to do this and what steps I need to take in order to be in surgery. I can't seem to get a straight answer. One minute I found an article that says yes I can all that I'm wanting to do then I find another that says no. I'm not in nursing school just yet and want to make sure I'm on the right path before I start. I don't understand all the abbreviations and such sometimes used and it just gets awfully confusing. I came across your article and you seem like someone who might have some answers!

Here's my ideal situation: (please let me know if this is even possible or I'm a complete idiot)

Become a nurse, work for a year or two, then go back and get my masters or doctorate. THEN I would love to work in surgery, assist through the procedure, help with pre-op and post-op. I don't want to just hand someone tools or get them dressed for surgery, I actually want to help operate.

So I guess my questions are…

1. Can a NP do all the things I listed above?

-I shadowed a surgeon in my hometown and the nurse anesthetist working that procedure told me it is possible and a lot of it depends on the hospital and the surgeon. But she said she has a friend who works as a NP that first assists on cardio surgery. He apparently operates alongside the surgeon, does pre-op, post-op and rounds(which sounds great!).

2. What would I specialize in as an RN before getting my masters or doctorate?

3. What would I specialize in when becoming a NP?

4. Do you have to be a NP to first assist?

5. Is it possible to get the best of both worlds and become a NP with a specialty in pediatric surgery?

Please help me with these questions! I know it's a lot, but I don't know were to begin. If what I'm wanting to do is unachievable, please let me know because I would probably need to look into becoming a PA before I commit to nursing school. I always thought NP was the smarter route since I could have my own practice if I ever wanted to.

Your help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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