Registered Nurse First Assistant - General Surgery - Full Time Day

Up To $25,000 Sign On Bonus For Qualified RNs!

Position Summary: An RNFA is a nursing professional who renders direct care to the perioperative patient, functioning as a first assistant to the attending surgeon.  The RNFA practices an expanded role in perioperative nursing and has demonstrated sufficient knowledge, skills, and judgement necessary to assist the surgeon.  These skills have been acquired through organized instruction and supervised practice.  The RNFA does not function concurrently as a scrub nurse.  Understands and adheres to GCMC’s Compliance Standards as they appear in GCMC’s Corporate Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy.  Keeps abreast of all pertinent federal, state and GCMC regulations, laws, and policies as they presently exist and as they change or are modified. 

Education, License & Cert: • Graduate of accredited registered professional nursing program with an AAS or Diploma in Nursing • Completion of an accredited RNFA program. • Privileges via Medical Staff • Current NYS registration/licensed registered professional nurse. • Current BLS‐CPR certification required. • Certification as an RNFA required.

Experience: • Equivalent work experience preferred.

Essential Functions: 1. Demonstrates and follows recommended practices for surgical attire. a. Wears hospital provided clean surgical attire, including OR scrubs, shoes, head covering, masks, jackets and identification badge. b. Wears a surgical mask when open sterile supplies and equipment are present. c. Changes OR scrubs if upon returning from the outside the building or if soiled. 2. Demonstrates and follows recommended practices for hand hygiene in the perioperative setting. a. Maintains healthy skin and fingernail condition and follows standard practice regarding jewelry in the perioperative setting. b. Demonstrates and follows standardized procedure for hand washing. c. Demonstrates and follows standardized procedure for surgical hand scrub. 3. Demonstrates and follows recommended practices for maintaining a sterile field. a. Scrubbed persons function within a sterile field. b. Sterile drapes are used to establish a sterile field. c. Ensures items used within the sterile field are sterile. d. All items introduced to a sterile field are opened, dispensed, and transferred by methods that maintain item sterility and integrity. e. The sterile field is maintained and monitored constantly. f. All personnel moving within or around a sterile field do so in a manner that maintains the sterile field. 4. Demonstrates and follows recommended practices for infection control and traffic patterns in the perioperative setting. a. Maintains minimal movement of personnel while invasive and noninvasive procedures are in progress. b. Clean and sterile supplies and equipment are moved separate from contaminated supplies, equipment, and waste by space, time or traffic pattern. c. Understands the designation of restricted and semi‐restricted areas. d. Follows infection control policy and procedures. e. Wears PPE as appropriate. 5. Functions under the supervision and responsibility of the attending surgeon who is in the “immediate vicinity.” a. Actively participates in Universal Protocol Time out to identify and assure: correct patient, correct procedure/site/side, Patient specific implants, equipment and consistency with schedule. b. Applies principles of surgical anatomy, physiology and operative technique relative to operative procedures for which RNFA assists. c. Performs positioning, prepping, and draping of the patient. d. Provides hemostasis by clamping blood vessels, coagulating bleeding points, ligating vessels, and by other means as directed by the surgeon. e. Provides exposure through appropriate use of instruments, retracting, suctioning, and sponging techniques. f. Handles tissue as directed by surgeon. g. Performs wound closure as directed by the surgeon. h. Applies surgical dressings. 6.  Demonstrates sufficient knowledge skills, and judgement necessary to assist surgeon. a. Practices within the limitation of educational preparation and experience. b. Maintains continuing education relative to RNFA practice. c. Demonstrates skills and behaviors that are unique to functioning as a first assist. d. Performs effectively in stressful and emergency situations. e. Recognizes safety hazards and initiates appropriate actions. f. Assists in coordinating support services needed during the surgery by anticipating and communicating patient and surgical team needs. 7. Equipment Use a. Demonstrates knowledge and ability to safely and effectively use equipment. b. Utilizes hospital and unit specific equipment per policy. c. Uses patient positioning, transfer, and lift equipment per policy at all times. 8. Emergency Preparedness‐Demonstrates working knowledge and understanding of emergency preparedness pl