RN to RNFA

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I am a surg tech with 17 years experience. I am currently in RN program. I want to become an RNFA. My questions are, are you required to have your BSN to become an RNFA and if it is mandatory that you spend two years in the OR as a nurse to become a first assist. Please I need to know.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

This site may help: Home - RNFA

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

You'll have to have your CNOR in order to be eligible to become an RNFA... and this will require 1 year of full time work in OR. Last time I checked, you do not have to have a BSN, but this could have changed.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Actually, it's 2 years and 2,400 hours to be eligible for CNOR.

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I've never heard of a RNFA. Now that I've seen what it is, my question would be: how often are RNFAs actually used in practice?

I'm not trying to discourage you, I'm just genuinely curious.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

I spoke with someone from the RNFA site not long ago. If you're a nurse you need to have a CNOR in order to be eligible, but if you are an NP you do not.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

You can go the NP route and get your RNFA, which has its advantages. We see more NPs in the OR than just RNs with the RNFA at our hospital. I know UAB has an online program for NP with RNFA certificate. Of course, that means you'd need your BSN first before you could do NP.

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