Programs

Cont. Ed. : Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) Program

This program is designed to provide the advanced knowledge and clinical skills necessary to prepare the operating room nurse to practice in collaboration with, and at the direction of, the surgeon during the intraoperative phase of the perioperative experience. The advanced intraoperative competencies necessary for this role include: handling soft tissue, wound exposure, using instruments, suturing and knot tying and providing hemostasis.

Program

Program Content

Registered Nurse First Assistant Modules:

Module One: Role and Responsibilities of the RNFA

• Scope of Practice
• Legal Regulation
• Ethical Issues
• Collaborative Practice
• Leadership Skills
• Health Care Delivery System
• Nursing Research

Module Two: Asepsis and Infection Control

• Chain Infection
• Body's Response to Infection
• Asepsis
• Infection Control
• Multiply-Resistant Organisms

Module Three: Use of the Nursing Process for Clinical Decision Making

• Nursing Process
• Cardiac and Hemodynamic Considerations
• Respiratory/Metabolic/Hemodynamic Considerations
• Anesthetic Considerations
• Perioperative Considerations

Module Four: Surgical Techniques Related to the RNFA

• Soft Tissue Handling
• Methods of Providing Wound Exposure
• Providing Hemostasis
• Needles and Suturing and Knot Tying

Module Five: Surgical Procedures for General Surgery

• General Surgery
• Gynecology
• Urologic Procedures
• Peripheral Vascular Surgery
• Orthopedics

OR

Module Five: Cardiovascular System and Surgical Procedures

• A&P Fluid,Lytes and Acid-Base Balance
• Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures and Monitoring
• Open Heart Procedures
• Peripheral Vascular Procedures
• Harvesting Bypass Conduits for Cardiac Surgery
• Infection Control and Surgical Site Infection
  

Program Completion

This program has received full approval from the Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland.

Learners can completet the program at their own pace but must complete the program within one year.

Learners who have successfully completed the program are awarded a certificate of completion from the Centre for Nursing Studies.

The Centre for Nursing Studies offers Prior Learning Recognition (PLAR) as a service to learners who feel they may have achieved learning through previous knowledge and experience.

For More Information

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Download Registration Materials for the Registered Nurse First Assistant Program

This program is offered yearly based on demand. For further information and registration materials contact: