SURGICAL FIRST ASSIST

Archbold; Thomasville (GA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Work/Life Balance

Planning for the Future

Low-Cost Prescriptions

Planning for Life’s Unexpected Moments

Helping You to Advance Your Career

Job summary

Archbold Medical Center in Thomasville, GA seeks a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) – Surgery for a PRN, day-shift role (7am–7pm). The RNFA will work under the supervision of the attending surgeon in a busy operating room, assisting with preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative duties.

Requirements include BSN preferred, GA RN license, BLS/ACLS, and RNFA education. Minimum two years perioperative nursing experience with scrub and circulating roles preferred.

Qualifications

• RNFA role requires holistic nursing care and strong communication.
• Perioperative and first assisting skills including exposure, hemostasis, suturing, and wound management.
• Experience in pediatric to geriatric patient care and familiarity with surgical tech.
• Licensure and certifications: GA RN license, BLS/ACLS, RNFA training.

Responsibilities

• Functions as RNFA in OR under supervision of attending surgeon.
• Collaborates with surgeon and perioperative team to optimize patient outcomes.
• Performs preoperative assessments, patient positioning, prepping and draping as directed.
• Provides intraoperative assistance including tissue handling, hemostasis, and wound care.
• Participates in postoperative rounds and discharge planning as needed.

Skills

Holistic nursing

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Perioperative first assisting

Suturing and wound management

Pediatric to geriatric care

Surgical technology familiarity

Education

BSN preferred

Georgia Nursing License

BLS certification

ACLS certification

RNFA education program

Job description

THOMASVILLE , GA

Nursing

PRN , Day Shift , 7am-7pm

Posted 08/27/2026

Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) – Surgery

Description

Education Requirements: Graduate of an accredited school of Professional Nursing (BSN preferred). Licensed by the Georgia Board of Nursing. Current certification in BLS and ACLS. Successful completion of an RNFA education program.

Experience: Minimum of two (2) years perioperative nursing experience in the operating room. Prior experience as a scrub and circulating nurse preferred. Demonstrated competency in surgical first assisting techniques.

Required Skills: Must use a holistic approach to nursing care. Must demonstrate excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Must demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills. Must demonstrate competency in advanced perioperative and first assisting skills Including tissue handling, providing exposure, hemostasis, suturing, and wound management. Must possess the ability to learn and apply advanced surgical techniques. Must be familiar with all facets of surgical technology and patient care for pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients. May seek advancement through approved educational degrees, certifications, or national certification.

Physical Demands: Good physical and mental health. Must be able to lift, bend, pull, and push using good body mechanics, without limitations. Must possess visual acuity with corrective lenses to read printed material and visualize patients to the degree that changes in color or respirations can be detected; hearing ability with auditory aids to understand the normal speaking voice without viewing the speaker and auscultation of the chest using a stethoscope; and speaking ability to ask and answer pertinent questions and relay information. Must demonstrate the ability to wear properly fitting respiratory protective mask for periods of time without limitations. Able to work under supervision or independently as directed by the situation. Must be able to work under stressful conditions. Must demonstrate physical capacity, visual acuity, dexterity, and fine motor skills necessary to provide first-assisting behaviors to the surgeon.

Supervises: May provide guidance to surgical technology students and nursing personnel assigned to the team as directed.

Supervised By: Director of Surgery, Nurse Manager, Assistant Nurse Manager, Surgery Schedule Coordinator; functions intraoperatively under the direct supervision of the attending Surgeon.

Performance Standards: Organization Wide Maintains a professional image. Makes a conscientious effort to help maintain a clean, safe and secure environment. Assumes responsibility for institutional requirements.

Customer Service

• Interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates pride in the organization.
• Strives to work well as a team member.

RNFA Core

• Functions as a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) in the Operating Room under the direct supervision of the attending surgeon.
• Collaborates with the surgeon and perioperative team to achieve optimal patient outcomes throughout the perioperative continuum.
• Does not concurrently function as a scrub person or RN circulator while performing in the RNFA role.
• Preoperative Responsibilities Performs focused preoperative nursing assessments in collaboration with the surgeon and care team. Reviews patient history, procedure details, laterality, implant needs, and equipment requirements. Assists with patient positioning, prepping, and draping of the surgical site as directed by the surgeon. Communicates and collaborates regarding the patient’s plan of care.
• Intraoperative Responsibilities Provides safe and effective surgical site exposure using retractors and tissue positioning techniques. Handles and/or cuts tissue under the direction of the surgeon. Provides safe and effective hemostasis using appropriate techniques and devices. Correctly use surgical instruments and medical devices according to manufacturer instructions for use. Performs suturing and wound management as directed by the surgeon.
• Postoperative Responsibilities Supports dressing selection and application per surgeon preference. Assesses skin condition, tissue perfusion, and healing progress of the surgical wound. Communicates intraoperative course details to PACU/receiving teams as appropriate. Participates in postoperative rounds and assists with patient discharge planning as needed. Reinforces incision and wound care instructions within the plan of care.

Surgical RN Core

• Utilizes the nursing process in administering care to patients; pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric.
• Maintains current knowledge of surgical procedures, anatomy, and first assisting techniques through continuing education.
• Documents nursing activities to provide a continuous record of care, quality improvement, and professional accountability.
• Complies with all applicable statutes, regulations, institutional policies, and scope of practice relevant to RNFA practice in the State of Georgia.

(for eligible employees):

• Have optimal opportunity for career growth within our growing organization
• Medical / Dental
• Retirement Plan
• PTO and paid life insurance

What Sets Us Apart

Archbold Medical Center is a four-hospital, four-nursing-home health system with 540 patient beds. We employ more than 2,500 people and boast an outstanding medical staff of nearly 200 qualified physician specialists. Our flagship hospital, Archbold Memorial Hospital, is a 264-bed hospital located in Thomasville, Georgia. Our system hospitals, also in Georgia, are Archbold Brooks Hospital in Quitman, Archbold Grady Hospital in Cairo, and Archbold Mitchell Hospital in Camilla.

For 100 years, Archbold has been synonymous with high-quality, compassionate medical care. While our exemplary facilities have helped us maintain an excellent reputation, our team members are what makes Archbold special.

You are unique. You have skills and a strong passion for helping people. You also have personal goals, and Archbold wants to help you achieve them. We are a diverse healthcare system that promotes teamwork, continuing education, and leadership, and we are committed to recruiting and retaining the best healthcare professionals to join our Archbold team.

What we offer

We know that your time and expertise are valuable, and to help our employees be at their best and make the most of their employment experience, we offer a comprehensive and generous benefits package that helps our employees and their families meet the challenges of everyday living.

We strive to be a workplace of choice, and from high-quality medical and dental care benefits to retirement benefits that help build wealth for your future, Archbold is proud to offer our employees one of the best benefits packages in the area.

Below are a few of the benefits Archbold Medical Center offers to employees:

• Work/Life Balance
• Planning for the Future
• Low-Cost Prescriptions
• Planning for Life’s Unexpected Moments
• Helping You to Advance Your Career

Mission

To provide safe, innovative and compassionate care for our communities.

Vision

A healthier region, stronger communities, meaningful work, and trusted care.