What do i need to become a first assist rn in or.

[ANNIENURSEANGEL]

I want to be in the OR, soo bad. I am waiting for my DON to sign me up for ACLS and TNCC. The hospital pays for it. The hospital i am at now, is very small, and has no other areas, but med/surg., and telemetry. I need some help with a plan of action for the next year and a half. I have 4 yrs. as an LPN, and 1 month as an RN. It sounds like i am in a rush. It just took me 13 years to get my RN, and i have some catching up to do. Thank god i am only 35 years old. Any help and suggestions would be great.

[Argo]

you can be a scrub RN in the OR or a circulating RN in the OR if you find the right place that will train you. You will need 2 years in the OR. As an RN you only have one credentialing pathway to go that I know of to become a certified registered nurse first assist.

1) be an OR nurse for 2 years full time, preferably as a scrub(need the scrub experience for the FA programs)

2) get your CNOR through CCI

3) take an accredited FA program course

4) have a bachelors degree

5) take the certification test through CCI for CRNFA credentialing

6) get credentialed at the hospitals you plan to work at.

7) get your insurance billing numbers so you can get paid

8) if you want to bypass 6 and 7 you can get hired by a hospital that actually staffs RNFA's.

The pay benifit is not all that much more than being an RN that does specialty areas like open heart. I know quite a few FA's, both scrubs and RNs, and they make a little less than I do. There are pros and cons either way. I take more call than they do but they live by the surgeons schedules that they work with. I have full benifits, they dont..... They are their own boss(kinda), I work for the hospital....

[naibelf]

Hi ANNIENURSEANGEL,

This has nothing to do with what you have posted but I'm new here and don't know how else to write you. I read in another thread where you replied that you have taken the remediation course that is required for passing the nclex. I am at the point where I also failed three times and have to take the remedial course. Do you think taking the course really helped you pass? Also, if you don't mind, what company/school did you take your course with? I also live in FL. Im just so eager to get this part of my life over with, it is very frustrating. Please give me all the info you can, I greatly appreciate it!!!

Have a great day!!