Advanced nursing practice is the ability to apply the latest evidence to nursing practice and knowledge to contribute to advances in specialist nursing areas. Advanced nursing practice roles have continued to develop over recent years to accommodate the increasing complexity of the population's healthcare needs. Preparation of nurses for advanced speciality roles has become a priority for the profession, the Nursing Council of New Zealand – as the statutory body – and healthcare providers. This course draws on biomedical and social science research evidence to equip registered nurses with scientific concepts and the knowledge and skills for the Registered Nurse First Surgical Assistant (RNFSA) role within the operating theatre.
Entry Criteria for NURSPRAC 707
- Approval from unit nurse manager for support in completion of NURSPRAC 707 (Semester 1).
- Identified surgeon mentor to supervise the student in practice.
- A registered nurse employed within the perioperative environment who can complete 140 hours of clinical work for the duration of the semester, in the role of the RNFSA (see definition provided below).
- A learning agreement is signed by the student, employer, surgeon mentor, academic coordinator, and clinical coordinator.
The RNFSA is a perioperative nurse who:
- Works in collaboration with the surgeon and other health care team members to achieve optimal patient outcomes;.
- Has acquired the necessary knowledge, judgement and skills specific to the expanded role of the RNFSA clinical practice.
- Intraoperatively, practices under the direction of the surgeon.
- Does not concurrently function as a scrub nurse (AORN 2013).
Learning Agreement
The Learning Agreement aims to describe the overall arrangement between all parties (student, employer, surgeon mentor, academic coordinator, and clinical coordinator) regarding clinical and academic support (co‐operative learning approach) for NURSPRAC 707.