Brittany Page, B.A.S., CST, CSFA
Coordinator, Health Sciences, Surgical Services
850.873.3551
bpage2@gulfcoast.edu
Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA)
The Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) is a registered nurse who has received
advanced training as a certified perioperative nurse (CNOR) and surgical first assistant,
or an advanced registered nurse practitioner with specialized surgical and first
assistant training. First Assisting is within the scope of nursing practice in all
fifty state boards of nursing.
As a provider of surgical assisting, the RNFA is often reimbursed by insurance companies
for services rendered at a significantly lower cost to the consumer while providing
safe quality patient care.
To complete an RNFA program, the RN must have, at least, a Bachelor's Degree, two
years of professional nursing experience in the operating room environment, achieve
the credential of CNOR (Certified Perioperative Nurse), or possess an advanced registered
nurse practice degree and complete the training in surgical first assistant. As required
by the AORN standards, the program does require at least a Bachelor's Degree with
CNOR eligibility or licensure as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. If you
do not have your Bachelor's Degree, GCSC offers a BSN or other BS degrees which are
online and more economical than at major universities.
Certification is not required to function under the Florida State Nurse Practice Act
as an RNFA. The program is completed within 2 semesters (1 academic year) which involves
web-based classes and on-site Lab components.
Registered Nurse First Assistants are credentialed by the National Assistants at Surgery Certification (NASC)
or https://www.aorn.org/guidelines/clinical-resources/rn-first-assistant-resources, the official website of perioperative nursing.
For certification, you must complete the NASC requirements successfully to utilize the credential or title of “Registered Nurse Assistant at Surgery-Certified (RNAS-C)” or “Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA).”
If you decide that becoming a RNFA is for you, follow the attached instruction checklist. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at bpage2@gulfcoast.edu, 850.873.3551. We look forward to working with you in the future.
What Does a RNFA do?
The RNFA has preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative duties including patient history and assessment, collaborating with surgeon and other professionals for an optimal surgical outcome, assisting with patient positioning, skin preparation, and draping, providing wound exposure, handling tissue, controlling blood loss, suturing tissue, and performing follow-up care.
Education: Completion of a program that meets the National Assisting at Surgery Certification (NASC) guidelines.
National information: For national information, visit AORN.org.
Testing information: For testing information, visit National Assistants at Surgery Certification (NASC).
Credentialing requirements include: CNOR, bachelor's degree or master's degree in nursing, 2000 hours (first assisting) and completion of a CBPN-acceptable RNFA program. For CRNFA, upon completion of this program, you are eligible for the RNAS-C exam.
Gulf Coast State College offers the Registered Nurse First Assistant Advanced Technical Certificate year around.