Registered Nurse First Assistant

Registered Nurse First Assistant

Kernodle Clinic is a respected and progressive multi-specialty group practice with Clinics in Burlington, Mebane and Elon. We are a community leader that offers challenging and rewarding opportunities for our employees. Kernodle Clinic is a multi-specialty practice with approximately 100 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers located just off I-40/I-85. Burlington is accessible as a day trip to NC mountains and beaches. Ample recreational activities, shopping, and easy access to metros (Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham) are unique to Burlington.

We are currently looking for a patient-focused and experienced Registered Nurse First Assistant to support our Perioperative team within the Orthopedics Department. The RNFA will provide comprehensive nursing care throughout the perioperative continuum, including preoperative patient management, intraoperative surgical first assisting and postoperative patient care. This position will support surgical productivity and continuity of care, assist with the education and development of surgical residents, provide second-assist support when needed and serve as the first assistant to surgeons when surgical residents are unavailable. The RNFA will provide care to patients across the lifespan and provide leadership and direction to the perioperative team as appropriate.

Job Type: Full-time - 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday

Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide comprehensive perioperative nursing care from preoperative evaluation through postoperative recovery and discharge planning.
• Provide preoperative patient management in collaboration with surgeons and other healthcare providers.
• Perform preoperative evaluations and communicate and collaborate regarding the patient's plan of care.
• Write preoperative orders in accordance with established protocols and scope of practice.
• Serve as a qualified surgical first assistant to the operating surgeon during operative procedures.
• Assist with surgical procedures by using instruments and medical devices, providing exposure, handling and/or cutting tissue, providing hemostasis, and suturing as appropriate.
• Provide second-assist support when needed and first-assist coverage when surgical residents are unavailable.
• Support surgical residents through education, guidance, and clinical collaboration.
• Provide immediate postoperative patient management in collaboration with surgeons and other healthcare providers.
• Write postoperative orders and operative documentation in accordance with established protocols and scope of practice.
• Participate in postoperative rounds and assist with discharge planning.
• Provide leadership, direction, and clinical support to the perioperative team as needed.
• Promote patient safety, quality care, and continuity throughout the perioperative experience.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation in the electronic medical record.
• Maintain HIPAA compliance and patient confidentiality standards.
• Perform other duties within the scope of practice as assigned.

Note: The CRNFA will function in the surgical first-assist role and will not concurrently function as the Scrub Nurse.

Required Education, Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN) required.
• Graduate of an accredited school of Nursing.
• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license.
• Successful completion of an accredited RNFA program that includes didactic education, supervised clinical practice, and the core curriculum required for the RNFA role.
• Strong knowledge of perioperative nursing principles and surgical first-assisting practices.
• Excellent clinical judgment, communication, organization, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with surgeons, surgical residents, APPs, nurses, and other members of the perioperative team.
• Ability to provide care to patients across the lifespan.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) in a surgical or perioperative setting.
• Previous experience providing surgical first-assist services.
• Experience working with surgical residents and/or in an academic or teaching environment.
• Additional perioperative nursing experience or certification preferred.