RN, OR First Assist

Kaiser Permanente; Oregon (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaiser Permanente in Oregon seeks a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) to provide intra-operative nursing care, assist surgeons, and participate in pre- and post-operative activities. The role requires coordination with the surgical team and adherence to AORN standards.

Responsibilities include instrument handling, tissue exposure, and post-operative evaluation in alignment with facility protocols and CNOR expectations.

Qualifications

• Minimum two (2) years of peri-operative scrubbing and circulating experience.
• Certification of Completion from AORN recognized RNFA course.
• Successful completion of an RNFA program meeting AORN standards.

Responsibilities

• Assist in intra-operative procedures under surgeon supervision, including exposure, instrument handling, hemostasis, suturing.
• Prepare and position patient, assist with equipment setup and room turnover per policy.
• Provide RNFA scope of practice in accordance with state and facility protocols; participate in pre-op briefings.

Skills

Perioperative scrubbing

Circulating nurse experience

RNFA experience

AORN standards knowledge

Education

RNFA certification

AORN education standards

CB.PMN acceptance program

Job description

Job Summary

Provides assistance to the surgical team during the intra-operative phase of surgical care for the Northwest Surgical Services region. Works in collaboration with the surgeon and health care team in the performance of surgical procedures, including assessment, planning, directing, providing and evaluating advanced nursing care. All RNFAs will participate in a regional on-call rotation to provide surgical assistance for elective, emergent and urgent surgical cases.

Essential Responsibilities

• Representative Functions or Duties: Practice standards of performance: Pre-operative. Performs pre-operative assessment and evaluation. Collaborates with the surgical team on plan of care. Intra-operative: Provides knowledge based technical assistance to the surgeon during the operative procedure according to AORN standards, licensure, state regulation and facility/practice protocols, including: Using instruments and medical devices. Providing surgical exposure. Handling and/or cutting tissue. Providing hemostatis, clamp, cut, and ligate tissue as directed by the surgeon. Suturing as directed by the surgeon. Post-Operative. Evaluates the patient post-operatively according to facility protocols.
• Assessment Standard of Performance & Planning: Communicates information so that continuity of care is maintained. Communicates with patient, family and other staff in a professional and courteous manner. Obtains and demonstrates the skills and knowledge needed to provide appropriate population based and culturally sensitive care to patients and families through education, training and experience. Provides continuous reassessment through the intra operative period. Utilizes knowledge of type of procedure to plan for appropriate set up.
• Practice standards of performance: Function as an assistant in all surgical specialties at the direction of the attending surgeon. Performs RNFA responsibilities in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act of the State of Oregon, institutional policies and procedures of Kaiser Permanente and the AORN Position Statement on RN First Assistants. Practice within limitations of preparation and experience. Demonstrate RNFA specific clinical skills. Review and update skills checklist on an ongoing basis as specified by policies of Kaiser Permanente. Intra operative nursing behaviors include: handling tissue, providing exposure, using instruments, clamp, cut, and legate as directed by the surgeon, providing homeostasis, suturing as directed by the surgeon. Assists with room preparation in collaboration with the Circulating Nurse and scrub person. Brings patient X-rays into room NOTE: Notifies Charge Nurse or designee if films are not available. Assists in patient transport to the operating room and patient transfer to the operating room table. Provides assistance to Anesthesia during induction. Participates in pre-op briefing time out process. Assists in patient position. Assists in patient preparation, i.e., prepping, catheterization, shaving, as necessary. Assists in patient draping. Sets up ESU, lights, suction for the sterile field. Monitors free counted items on the sterile field. Observes for breaks in sterile technique and takes appropriate action as necessary.
• Assists with instrumentation and equipment as requested. Applies dressings and secures drainage tubes. Assists with patient transfer and positioning post operatively. Assists with room tear down and turn over in collaboration with the Circulating Nurse and scrub person. May perform pre and post-operative patient education as designated. Review chart for pertinent data. Assist in maintaining a safe environment and promoting efficiency in surgical. Procedures.

Basic Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum two (2) years of peri-operative scrubbing and circulating experience in a KP OR or one (1) year experience as an RNFA in or outside of KP.

Education

• Certification of Completion from AORN recognized RNFA course.
• Successful completion of an RNFA program that meets the AORN Recommended Education Standards for RNFA and criteria for the CB.PMN acceptance program.

License, Certification, Registration

• Registered Nurse License (Oregon)
• Nurse Operating Room Certificate
• Basic Life Support

Additional Requirements

• Meets all qualification of an RNFA as outlined in AORN Position Statement.
• Must maintain CNOR and RN licensure with the required amount of Continuing Education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum two (2) years of practice as an RNFA.
• CRNFA certification preferred.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) required upon hire/transfer preferred.