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Public Policy & Advocacy
Core Curriculum for the RNFA
RN First Assistant Guide to Practice
CRNFA Study Guide and Practice Resource
SPECIALTY
ASSEMBLIES
The many paths of advocacy
Members of the RN First Assistant Specialty Assembly promote new advocacy methods and resources.
By Carina Stanton
Senior News Editor/Writer
Advocacy for the patient and the profession is critical to members
of AORN's RN First Assistant Specialty Assembly (RNFA SA). In fact,
advocacy is at the core of many key initiatives the SA continues in
the year ahead, according to Jean Franks, RN, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA,
chair of the SA and a RN first assistant who practices at Houston
Northwest Medical Center in Texas and in her own practice.
Franks says advocacy takes many forms, from daily practice to education to legislative action, and her RNFA SA colleagues are working hard on these different advocacy paths to promote optimal patient care and to ensure a strong future for the profession.
Advocacy through legislation
After many years with RNFA Reimbursement as a legislative priority, the AORN board of directors shifted the focus in the legislative priorities to support the role of the RNFA. This change was made in part to allow new efforts in the legislative priorities to support AORN's broader role and involvement in promoting the importance of perioperative registered nurses in healthcare reform. Initiatives such as legislative action to support reimbursement for RN first assistant at surgery services continue to be a key initiative for the RNFA SA. To demonstrate support for the legitimacy of RN first assistant services being considered eligible for reimbursement, AORN's board of directors, staff members and members of the RNFA SA have worked together to create an AORN Memo of Support for Registered Nurse First Assistants Regarding Reimbursement for First Assistant at Surgery Services.
The memo defines the RNFA in terms of qualifications and educational preparation. It also describes the value of the RNFA to the healthcare industry and to the patient and denotes the barrier to utilization of RNFA services that result from the lack of reimbursement, while also explaining the rationale for the establishment of reimbursement for RN first assistant services. The memo can serve as an educational tool for RNFAs to share with legislators when they are advocating for RNFA reimbursement legislation.
In addition to the Memo of Support, AORN and members of the RNFA SA are also working to create a white paper that will further promote the rationale to support reimbursement for RN first assistant services. This white paper details the educational preparation of the perioperative nurse to become an RNFA, as well as the scope of practice parameters and the functional areas of the role itself, explained Marlene Craden, RN, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA, active member of the RNFA SA and a RN First Assistant at Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y.
"This white paper will serve as a document that can be used by other organizations or individuals who may be lobbying or supporting efforts for RNFA reimbursement, but who many not be fully familiar with the RNFA role in general," Craden added.
Advocacy through education
Beyond legislative advocacy, members of AORN's RNFA SA are also reviewing the education standards for RNFA programs. The SA has established an internal task force, co-chaired by Franks, Althea Dunscombe, RN, PhD, CNOR, CRNFA, and including other members of the SA, to review the education standards for the RNFA programs that prepare perioperative professionals to practice as RN first assistants.
Last year, the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) changed requirements to sit for the CRNFA® exam, allowing all bachelor's degree-prepared nurses to be eligible to take the test, Franks explained. "Following this decision, we determined that it would be a good time to review the education standards for all RNFA programs to see if any other changes might need to be addressed."
To ensure that the standards for RNFA education programs are consistent with perioperative nursing and patient safety standards and workplace reality, the task force recently sent a questionnaire to all RNFA program directors to inquiring about characteristics of their particular RNFA program and requesting input regarding potential changes.
Advocacy through communication
Increased focus on communication is another key goal the RNFA SA is concentrating on this year, through the RNFA SA Online Community of Practice and regular newsletters. The SA also hopes to leverage social media outlets such as Facebook to reach out to more RNFAs. Franks hopes to encourage two-way dialogue through these different communication outlets so the SA can discuss key issues unique to RNFA practice, such as methods for dealing with reimbursement issues in hospitals and with insurance companies.
Participate in the RNFA SA's Online Community of Practice.
Read more news in AORN Connections.
Franks says advocacy takes many forms, from daily practice to education to legislative action, and her RNFA SA colleagues are working hard on these different advocacy paths to promote optimal patient care and to ensure a strong future for the profession.
Advocacy through legislation
After many years with RNFA Reimbursement as a legislative priority, the AORN board of directors shifted the focus in the legislative priorities to support the role of the RNFA. This change was made in part to allow new efforts in the legislative priorities to support AORN's broader role and involvement in promoting the importance of perioperative registered nurses in healthcare reform. Initiatives such as legislative action to support reimbursement for RN first assistant at surgery services continue to be a key initiative for the RNFA SA. To demonstrate support for the legitimacy of RN first assistant services being considered eligible for reimbursement, AORN's board of directors, staff members and members of the RNFA SA have worked together to create an AORN Memo of Support for Registered Nurse First Assistants Regarding Reimbursement for First Assistant at Surgery Services.
The memo defines the RNFA in terms of qualifications and educational preparation. It also describes the value of the RNFA to the healthcare industry and to the patient and denotes the barrier to utilization of RNFA services that result from the lack of reimbursement, while also explaining the rationale for the establishment of reimbursement for RN first assistant services. The memo can serve as an educational tool for RNFAs to share with legislators when they are advocating for RNFA reimbursement legislation.
In addition to the Memo of Support, AORN and members of the RNFA SA are also working to create a white paper that will further promote the rationale to support reimbursement for RN first assistant services. This white paper details the educational preparation of the perioperative nurse to become an RNFA, as well as the scope of practice parameters and the functional areas of the role itself, explained Marlene Craden, RN, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA, active member of the RNFA SA and a RN First Assistant at Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y.
"This white paper will serve as a document that can be used by other organizations or individuals who may be lobbying or supporting efforts for RNFA reimbursement, but who many not be fully familiar with the RNFA role in general," Craden added.
Advocacy through education
Beyond legislative advocacy, members of AORN's RNFA SA are also reviewing the education standards for RNFA programs. The SA has established an internal task force, co-chaired by Franks, Althea Dunscombe, RN, PhD, CNOR, CRNFA, and including other members of the SA, to review the education standards for the RNFA programs that prepare perioperative professionals to practice as RN first assistants.
Last year, the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) changed requirements to sit for the CRNFA® exam, allowing all bachelor's degree-prepared nurses to be eligible to take the test, Franks explained. "Following this decision, we determined that it would be a good time to review the education standards for all RNFA programs to see if any other changes might need to be addressed."
To ensure that the standards for RNFA education programs are consistent with perioperative nursing and patient safety standards and workplace reality, the task force recently sent a questionnaire to all RNFA program directors to inquiring about characteristics of their particular RNFA program and requesting input regarding potential changes.
Advocacy through communication
Increased focus on communication is another key goal the RNFA SA is concentrating on this year, through the RNFA SA Online Community of Practice and regular newsletters. The SA also hopes to leverage social media outlets such as Facebook to reach out to more RNFAs. Franks hopes to encourage two-way dialogue through these different communication outlets so the SA can discuss key issues unique to RNFA practice, such as methods for dealing with reimbursement issues in hospitals and with insurance companies.
Participate in the RNFA SA's Online Community of Practice.
Read more news in AORN Connections.