Registered Nurse Operating Room First Assistant
Job Location:
Cleveland, TN - USA
Yearly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information refer to Required Documents below.
The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for a Registered Nurse - Operating Room - First Assistant . The Registered Nurse - Operating Room - First Assistant will function within Perioperative Nursing Service at the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System.
The Registered Nurse - Operating Room - First Assistant duties include but are not limited to:
- Demonstrates competence in practice and decision-making deliberate planning and critical thinking skills. integrates knowledge skills abilities and judgment and is self-directed in goal setting for managing complex situations. The focus is beyond the self to the evolution of systems thinking by synthesizing knowledge to solve problems that result in demonstrated outcomes. The ability to cope with and manage competing priorities.
- Evaluates others coaches and mentors others and demonstrates leadership skills through collaborative efforts.
- Functions in an expanded perioperative nursing role. When performing delegated medical functions First Assist RNs are practitioners who are agents of the supervising physician(s)/independent licensed practitioner(s) who are responsible for the First Assist RNs actions within the agreed upon scope of practice. The supervising physician/independent licensed provider is to direct and review the work and practice on a continuous basis to ensure that appropriate directions are given and understood and appropriate care is rendered.
- Possess the necessary knowledge judgment and skills specific to the expanded role of First Assist RN clinical practice. Intra-operatively the First Assist RN practices at the direction of the attending surgeon. The First Assist RN shall not concurrently function as a scrub nurse with responsibility as a surgical first assistant. Verifies the standardized procedures in effect before preforming the functions of a surgical first assistant. Maintains knowledge of current Association of peri-Operative Registered Nurses (AORN) Standards VHA Directives and service level standard operating procedures.
- When directed by the attending surgeon the First Assist RNs expanded role permits the performance of intra-operative functions including but not limited to: positioning the patient preparing and draping the surgical site administering local anesthetic providing exposure and retraction providing hemostasis; utilizing electrosurgical cautery (ESU) bipolar and ultrasonic devices suture ligation hemostatic agents and argon beam use and handling of surgical instrumentation tissue manipulation dissection suturing and stapling making the skin incision or stab wound for laparoscopic surgery or drains and placement of trocar (based on State Board of Nursing) for laparoscopic access robotics insertion and removal of instrumentation securing drains closure of wounds and application of dressings including wound vac therapy application and removal of casts and splints harvest of vein and arteries for bypass conduit cleansing the surgical area including superficial subcutaneous muscle and fascia bone and abdominal and pelvic cavities removal of surgical drains (chest tubes knee drains).
Pay: Competitive salary regular salary increases potential for performance awards
Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave 13 days of sick leave 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory
Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts: 6:00am - 2:30pm 7:00am - 3:30pm 11:00am-7:30pm On-call M-F weekends holidays. Overtime as required for patient care.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.
- U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.
Basic Requirements:
- English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
- Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a masters level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelors level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005 Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing possession of a current full active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).
- Current full active and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements but do not possess the required licensure may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)
Preferred Experience:
- Experience functioning in complex surgical cases including but not limited to general surgery GYN orthopedics urology and robotics
- BSN
- CNOR certification
- At least 2 years of current OR experience
- 2 years of scrub RNFA experience
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: Applicant must possess the ability to do the following: heavy lifting and carrying 45 pounds and over; pulling pushing and reaching above the shoulder; potentially long periods of walking standing kneeling and repeated bending. Transferring patients and objects may be required.
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges universities schools or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information visit:
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care you will operate in a model with three core elements seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veterans community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor Americas Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Experience:
Junior IC
