Travel Nurse RN - Operating Room - $83,000 to $110,000 per year in Chicago, IL

Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) - Operating Room (OR)
Industry: Healthcare / Health Services
Job Category: Medical / Health - Nursing
Location: Chicago, IL (In-Person, Full-Time, Monday-Friday, Day Shifts Starting 6:30/7:00 AM, On-Call Rotation)

Salary: $83000 - $110000

Position Summary:
The Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) assists surgeons during operative procedures, performing advanced technical functions under supervision. This role delivers pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative nursing care to enhance surgical outcomes, improve efficiency, and ensure patient safety.

Role & Responsibilities
Pre-Operative Duties

• Conduct comprehensive patient assessments including history review and physical evaluation.

• Provide pre-surgical patient and family education and teaching.

• Ensure proper surgical positioning, preparation, and draping of the patient.

Intra-Operative Duties (as RN First Assistant)

• Provide surgical field exposure using retractors, suction, and sponges.

• Achieve hemostasis through clamping, ligating vessels, electrocautery, and applying pressure.

• Handle tissues appropriately and perform precise dissection of vessels, muscle, and fascia.

• Perform suture closures under supervision including peritoneum, fascia, subcuticular, and skin.

• Place drains as directed by the surgeon.

• Assist in advanced specialties such as CVOR, orthopedics, robotics, or cardiopulmonary bypass cannulation.

• Maintain aseptic technique, instrument sterilization, and participate in instrument/sponge counts.

Post-Operative Duties

• Apply and manage surgical dressings.

• Evaluate post-operative patients for complications and provide teaching.

• Ensure seamless transition of care through team collaboration.

• Document perioperative events in EMR systems.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Coordinate with surgeons, anesthesiologists, scrub/circulating nurses, and perioperative staff.

• Provide OR leadership, uphold nursing standards, and mentor junior staff.

• Participate in continuous quality improvement (CQI), research, performance evaluations, and in-services.

Physical/Environmental Requirements

• Prolonged standing, lifting/positioning adult patients (up to 35 lbs), maintaining dexterity under sterile conditions.

• Exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and hazardous materials.

Minimum Qualifications
Required:

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in Illinois.

• Completion of accredited RNFA program (didactic & clinical per AORN standards).

• Perioperative nursing certification (CNOR) required before or shortly after hire.

• RNFA certification (CRNFA) from recognized board within 2 years of hire.

• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

• 2+ years OR experience as scrub or circulating RN.

Preferred:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification.

• Experience across multiple surgical specialties (cardiothoracic, orthopedics, robotics).

• EMR experience (Cerner, SurgiNet, Meditech).

• Specialty training in robotics or perfusion assistance.

Additional Details:

• Full-time position.

• Operating Room setting, surgery specialties.

• In-person work location.

Apply now to join a mission-driven team delivering exceptional perioperative care!