Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) - Cardiac Surgery

SEH Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Health coverage within 30 days

Generous PTO & flexible schedules

Retirement match

Tuition reimbursement & professional

Wellness programs & recognition

Mentorship & internal mobility

Job summary

St. Elizabeth Healthcare is hiring a Registered Nurse First Assistant - Cardiac (RNFA) for the Surgery unit in Edgewood, Kentucky.

This full-time, 1st shift (approx. 6:00 am–2:30 pm) role supports surgeons during complex cardiac procedures, including sternal wiring, chest tube placement, and hemostasis. Requires RN license, RNFA program, CNOR, BCLS, and two years of OR experience.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• RNFA program completion and CNOR certification.
• BCLS certification; multi-state (compact) license preferred if eligible.
• Two years of operating room experience as an RN.

Responsibilities

• Assist surgeon with complex cardiac procedures in the OR.
• Sternal wiring, chest tube placement, and hemostasis.
• Harvest grafts and drains under surgeon direction; assist with wound closure.
• Delegate tasks to licensed/unlicensed staff per training and education.

Skills

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Critical thinking

Education

RN license (required)

RNFA program completion

CNOR certification

Job description

Engage with us for your next career opportunity. Right Here. Job Type: Regular Scheduled Hours: 40 Why You’ll Love Working with St. Elizabeth Healthcare At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, every role supports our mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care to the communities we serve. For more than 160 years, St. Elizabeth Healthcare has been a trusted provider of quality care across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. We’re guided by our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve and by our values of excellence, integrity, compassion, and teamwork. Our associates are the heart of everything we do.

Benefits That Support You

We invest in you — personally and professionally. Enjoy:

• Competitive pay and comprehensive health coverage within the first 30 days.
• Generous paid time off and flexible work schedules
• Retirement savings with employer match
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities
• Wellness, mental health, and recognition programs
• Career advancement through mentorship and internal mobility

Job Summary

The best career is right here. St. Elizabeth Healthcare is hiring a Registered Nurse First Assistant - Cardiac (RNFA) for the Surgery unit located at our Edgewood, Kentucky location.

Shift & Hours: 1st shift (typically 6:00 am - 2:30 pm); Full-time, 40 hours weekly.

Job Description

The best career is right here. The RNFA-Cardiac functions interdependently with the surgeon and applies in-depth knowledge, expert skill, and clinical judgment in assisting the surgeon with performing complex surgical procedures. Assist surgeon with sternal wiring, placement of chest tubes, and hemostasis. Under the direction of the surgeon, harvests saphenous vein(s), places drains, and performs wound closure. The professional nurse provides evidence-based nursing care utilizing the nursing process to meet the surgical needs of the patient in the perioperative setting. The RNFA is responsible for appropriately delegating tasks to other licensed/unlicensed health care team members as deemed appropriate by training and education. The RNFA-Cardiac collaborates with multidisciplinary healthcare team members when providing nursing care. Demonstrate respect, dignity, kindness and empathy in each encounter with all patients, families, visitors and other employees regardless of cultural background.

Qualifications

Education, Credentials, Licenses: Graduate of an accredited school of nursing. If eligible, must have a Compact (multi-state) License in their primary state of residence. Current registration to practice nursing in the state where work is being performed. Meets contact hour requirements for licensure, including all state-required courses. Successful completion of RNFA program and internship that meets AORN’s Standards for RN First Assistant Programs criteria. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) required. CNOR (Certified Perioperative Nurse) required and maintained as current status.

Specialized Knowledge

Expert knowledge of anatomy and physiology, surgical procedures and instrumentation, and operative techniques specific to cardiac procedures. Knowledge of suture, suturing techniques and wound closure. Knowledge of tissue dissection and exposure. Knowledgeable regarding clamping blood vessels, coagulating bleeding points, ligation of vessels, saphenectomy procedures, and placement of drains. Knowledge of various cannulation and decannulation techniques. Knowledge of intra-aortic balloon pump and ventricular assist device insertion techniques. Competent in mathematical calculations associated with medication administration

Kind and Length of Experience

Two years of operating room experience in both the scrub and circulating roles as an RN.

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt Right Career.

Right Here

If you're looking for the right careers in healthcare, the right place to be is at St. Elizabeth. Join us, and you'll take pride in the level of care we offer our community. St. Elizabeth Healthcare is one of the oldest, largest and most respected medical providers in the Northern Kentucky, southeastern Indiana and Greater Cincinnati region. Together with St. Elizabeth Physicians, the affiliated multi-specialty physician and advanced practice provider organization, we are transforming healthcare through innovative treatments, cutting-edge technology and a heart for our community. We’re right here, sharing one mission: to improve the health of the people we serve.