clark_bailey

Hey there in the Ham! I went to the Taos New Mexico program. It takes a year to complete but worth the wait as you will learn alot of things you otherwise would not know. I did my clinical internship under a spine surgeon who absolutely loved the free help. I only wish Alabama would pass legislation to force BCBS into paying for RNFA services like they do for PA's.

I have been an RNFA in Alabama for 2 years and OR nurse in Alabama for 8. I have yet to receive any money from Insurance companies for the limited time I worked with a private Ortho Surgeon. He hired a PA who can get reimbursement from third party insurance and Medicare for first assisting. The RN in my area who is an RNFA rarley gets to scrub if at all, and will not be considered for a "good" job until they can get reimbursment. Docs here want an assistant ,but they want the assistant to pay for themselves via insurance reimbursement. Wake up RN's! the PA's and Techs are taking our jobs little by little. There are people who will disagree with my statement but come to Alabama and learn the truth on how the OR RN is becoming extinct.

Where I work we rarely if ever get the chance to scrub. The RN is stuck doing circulation duties and that is it. I am a glorified step and fetch! My duties include only those of the circulator and retreiving items from steile supply that the scrub "forgot" to pull for the case. On average I leave the room 8-10 times intra op for "stuff" needed during the case. I am a RNFA that never gets to scrub let alone scrub. I am so sick of the hospitals in my area. The scrub is treated like royalty and the licensed RN is the gopher. Can anyone tell I am pissed off about how nurses in the OR are treated???