UCSF Health requires all First Assistants to be credentialed through its Medical Staff Services Office (MSSO) in order to practice and function in their clinical role. First Assistants may not perform the function of the scrub nurse while assisting. In addition, the first assistant must have acquired the necessary specific knowledge, skills and judgment to work in the perioperative setting. In order to perform those functions considered to be first assistant to the surgeon, the RNFA must adhere to standardized procedures. They practice under the supervision of the surgeon during the intraoperative phase of the perioperative experience. They may provide other advanced assistance, such as mobilization of tissue, patient positioning and collaborating with other surgical team members with specific individual tasks.

The RNFA directly assists the surgeon by controlling bleeding, providing wound exposure, suturing and other surgical tasks.

The position requires a combination of nursing, medical, and administrative functions. The role of the registered nurse first assistant (RNFA) for Robotic Surgery can be performed by a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA).

Registered nurse first assistant jobs