Atlantic General Hospital Registered Nurses Earn First Assist Certificate

After several years of intensive training, two registered nurses in Atlantic General Hospital’s Surgical Services Department are now certified as registered nurse first assists (RNFAs). First assists learn a special skill set to assist the surgeon with a patient’s pre-operative plan of care and postoperative orders, as well as portions of the surgery itself such as cutting or suturing.

Amy Holloway, RN, and Christie Bradford, RN, both nurses at Atlantic General Hospital for more than six years, pursued the specialty to expand their knowledge and keep themselves at the forefront of the surgical nursing field.

“You never want to stagnate in your job,” said Bradford. “I’m always looking to take the next step forward, so I thought, why not get the training and offer a higher level of expertise to the patients in our care?”