RN First Assistant Online Program
Lorain County Community College
Division of Allied Health and Nursing
Continuing Education for Health Professionals
Program Overview
The online RNFA program is for perioperative and advanced practice nurses who will assume the expanded role of the first assistant in the operating room. The focus of the program is development of extensive knowledge of surgical anatomy and surgical procedures in a variety of surgical specialties. Skill development includes intraoperative techniques of anatomy identification, providing exposure, providing hemostasis, knot tying and suturing, positioning and prepping. The intraoperative role of the first assistant is emphasized.
Accreditation
This program meets the standards of the Association of Operating Room Nurses and its revised Core Curriculum for the RN First Assistant, 3rd Edition. The Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI) accepts this course in preparing the Registered Nurse as first assistant in surgery.
Courses
The RN First Assistant Program consists of two credit nursing courses, NURS 297 and NURS 298. Together these courses will include care of the patient experiencing general, gynecological, urological, head and neck, ENT, orthopedic, neurosurgical, plastic and reconstructive, vascular, thoracic and cardiac surgery, as required by the Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI). One course will be offered on-line fall and spring semesters. Lorain County Community College uses the ANGEL system for on-line courses, which is extremely easy to use. The professor is available on a full time basis at the college.
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NURS 297 |
NURS 298 |
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On-line format only |
On-line format only |
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Fall semester |
Spring semester |
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5 credit hours |
5 credit hours |
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Skill development lab required |
No lab |
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Clinical hours 45 (hours above 45 may be transferred to the next semester, as long as the student continues in the sequence in the same academic year) |
Clinical hours 90 (hours may be tallied from NURS 297 – see NURS 297) |
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Topics include: role of the RN first assistant, skill development and the following surgical specialties: general, gynecological, urological, head and neck, ENT |
Topics include the following surgical specialties: orthopedic, neurosurgical, plastic and reconstructive, vascular, thoracic and cardiac surgery |
Laboratory requirements
Skill development will occur at the start of NURS 297. Skills include: tissue handling, visualization, suctioning, retracting, providing hemostasis, use of surgical instruments, knot tying and suturing, positioning and prepping. The surgical lab at Lorain County Community College will be utilized for 1 day. For out of state groups, arrangements may be made for the professor to travel to you. Travel expenses are paid by the host group. This will be arranged through the program director. In certain circumstances, students may be excused from the laboratory requirement by proof of their skills through another means. This is determined by the program director.
Clinical requirements
A total of 135 clinical hours as a first assistant in surgery are required. The hours are flexible and must be arranged at participant’s hospital of employment. Students are encouraged to first assist in a variety of specialties, but students may develop all of their skills in the surgical service in which they are employed.
Textbooks
Rothrock, J., Alexander’s Care of the Patient in Surgery, 13th Ed. , 2007. Mosby: St. Louis
AORN, Core Curriculum for the RN First Assistant, 3rd Ed.
Fees
The fee for the program is $1,900 for Ohio residents and $2,525 for out-of-state residents. Five semester hours of college credit will be awarded at the successful completion of this course. Participants are encouraged to check their hospital benefits, as the cost of this credit course may be an employee benefit.
Eligibility
Current licensure as a Registered Nurse in your home state is required.
CNOR certification (prior to registration) is required for perioperative nurse participants. However, those who are CNOR eligible, with a reservation to take the CNOR exam, may take this course. If you are not CNOR certified, please call the Competency and Credentialing Institute at 1-888-257-2667 with questions regarding the CNOR exam and qualifications.
Advanced Practice Nurses are not required to have the CNOR.
A letter from your hospital’s Director of Surgical Services and at least one surgeon or first assistant, agreeing to allow you to obtain clinical hours as a first assistant, is required prior to registration.
A minimum and maximum number of students are necessary for this program to continue each semester and students are encouraged to register early.
Faculty and Program Personnel
Patricia K. Sedlak, CST, RN, BSN, CNOR, RNFA, MEd.
Associate Professor and Director Surgical Technology, Surgical Assistant and RN First Assistant Programs
Division of Allied Health & Nursing
Lorain County Community College HS 223
1005 North Abbe Road
Elyria, OH 44035
psedlak@lorainccc.edu
1-800-995-5222, ext. 7159
440-366-7159 direct
440-366-4116 fax
Michelle Michener, Administrative Assistant
Continuing Education for Healthcare Professionals
Division of Allied Health & Nursing
Lorain County Community College HS 223
1005 North Abbe Road
Elyria, OH 44035
mmichene@lorainccc.edu
1-800-995-5222, ext. 4165