RNFAs, what experience did you have prior to becoming a RNFA?

[crownsk]

I've been in the OR for 2 years and will be getting my CNOR soon. My goal is to become an RNFA but my facility is not very supportive of me learning how to scrub..
 

I know it's not the ideal to not know how to scrub, but I'm wondering if it is okay to attend school first.

 

Thoughts/Opinions/Advise would be much appreciated.

[justine_ferren_cnor_crnfa, RN]

@crownsk - I completely appreciate the position you're in. I started as a staff nurse in the Operating Room, but strictly in the circulating role. I had experience prior as a CST. I think a lot of my luck in obtaining a scrub nurse role on our cardiac team was demonstrating my desire and ability to function in the scrub capacity. I think enthusiasm and attitude go a long way to 'creating luck' and that's how it was for me. 

[RickyRescueRN, BSN, RN]

It may require you to go and work for a hospital that encourages and trains their RNs to scrub. More and more are doing that due to lack of surgical techs and the fact that having RN's scrub makes their staffing matrix more flexible . Seek out the larger teaching hospitals and ask specifically when applying whether their RNs are trained to scrub and routinely scrub full shifts. Where I work I could scrub every shift if I wanted to. I usually do 2 out of 3 shifts as scrub RN. You will def need the scrub experience in order to be successful in the RNFA role. Many hospital employed RNFA's are required to serve in the scrub role frequently  when not first assisting.