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About CRNFA Certification |
CRNFA certification is defined as the documented validation of the professional achievement of identified standards of practice by an individual registered nurse first assistant providing care for patients before, during, and after surgery.
"The RN first assistant at surgery collaborates with the surgeon and the healthcare team in performing a safe operation with optimal outcomes for the patient. The RN first assistant practices perioperative nursing and must have acquired the necessary knowledge, skills, and judgment specific to clinical practice. The RN first assistant practices in collaboration with and at the direction of the surgeon during the intraoperative phase of the perioperative experience. The RN first assistant does not concurrently function as a scrub nurse."—AORN Official Statement
CRNFA Certification Requirements
- Requirements: CNOR, bachelor's degree in any field, 2000 hours (first assisting) and completion of a CCI-acceptable RNFA program.
- Certification: Once you're certified as a CRNFA, the CNOR and CRNFA credentials are merged and recertification for both credentials happens five years after your initial CRNFA certification.
- Certification period: lasts for five years.
Objectives of CRNFA certification:
- Recognize the individual registered nurse first assistant who is proficient in practice.
- Strengthen conscious use of theory in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care.
- Enhance professional growth through continued learning that results in broader knowledge and expanded skills.
Purposes of CRNFA certification:
- Demonstrate concern for accountability to the general public for nursing practice.
- Enhance quality patient care.
- Identify RNFAs who have demonstrated professional achievement in providing care for patients during surgical intervention.
- Provide employing agencies with a means of identifying professional achievement of an individual RNFA.
- Identify professional nurses practicing in an expanded role.
CRNFA Eligibility Statement
The CCI Board of Directors has approved a change in eligibility requirements for the CRNFA certification program. Effective August 1, 2008, a bachelor’s degree in any field, along with the completion of the existing CRNFA eligibility requirements, will be accepted in order to sit for the CRNFA exam. Prior to this date, a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), or in its absence a master’s degree in nursing (MSN), was required. All other CRNFA exam requirements, including the requirement of a CNOR or APRN credential, 2,000 RNFA practice hours and completion of an accepted RNFA program, remain unchanged.
Expanding the bachelor’s degree requirement to include non-nursing bachelor’s degrees reflects the characteristics of a changing nursing workforce. Many nursing students are entering a second-career and have bachelor’s degrees in other fields such as business, the sciences or education. This change will maintain the existing standards and value of the credential, while allowing other baccalaureate prepared nurses to pursue a career as a CRNFA.
This change is in response to input received from CRNFA experts who recently convened to review the CRNFA job analysis and exam blueprint. During their meeting, they unanimously agreed to recommend this change to the CCI Board of Directors. The Board met earlier this month to review and discuss this recommendation, and acted to approve the change immediately thereafter.
If you have any questions about this change, or wish to apply for the CRNFA exam, please call 888-257-2667. The next exam application deadline is August 31, 2008, which would enable a qualified applicant, to test at any available time in October, November or December.
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