From the Editor
On November 5, 1995, NIFA opened its doors and started offering RNFA training for perioperative nurses and APRNs–a new take on training that was so much more than classroom or on-the-job training. Happy 18th Birthday, NIFA!
Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving from the crew at NIFA!
Editor
Newly Discovered Body Parts?
“Two surgeons at University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium have found and named a new ligament in the knee, which they dubbed the anterolateral ligament, or ALL,” reports MSNNow.
“Dr. Steven Claes and Dr. Johan Bellemans have spent four years researching knee injuries, specifically those to the anterior cruciate ligament, using an 1879 article that talked about an additional–but as yet unseen–back-of-the-knee ligament.”
Read the report on MSNNow and a related article at ScienceDaily.com.
Dua’s Layer
“Harminder Dua, a professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Nottingham, has discovered a tiny, previously unknown body part hidden in the human eye,” according to TheWeek.com. “He named it after himself–Dua’s layer–and detailed the revelation in the journal Ophthalmology.”
The layer, only about 15 microns thick, sits at the back of the cornea. Knowledge of its presence may have an impact on corneal grafts and transplants. Read more at TheWeek.com.
Photo by Daniil Kuželev on Unsplash
Name: Reiko M. Corea
Credentials: RN, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA, CLNC
Student Status: Graduated Sept. 2, 2011
City and State: Kaneohe, HI
Current Position: RNFA, Kaiser Permanente Moanalua, Honolulu. I am the main orthopedic RNFA in my operating room, with focus in total joints.
Why did you want to become a nurse in the first place? I was looking for a new career and a really great friend who had over 40 years of experience convinced me that I could make a difference in people’s lives and have a rewarding career at the same time. She was totally right! I absolutely LOVE what I do!
Where did you get your RN training? Hawaii Pacific University.
What work were you doing right before you earned your RNFA? I was a nurse in the operating room and learning to scrub total joints. I literally learned to scrub by “firing squad”!
What is challenging about joint surgery as compared to other kinds of surgery? Joint surgery is fairly complex when it comes to the instrumentation and power tools. Not to mention the numerous amounts of systems out there, with variations to each. It’s taken years for me to become familiar with the different systems and the variations of each system specific to surgeon preferences.
You’ve also been on medical missions? Yes. These photos (above and to the right) are from a two-week mission I went on in Oct. 2012 to Sagaing and Inle Lake in Burma. These are two of the Burmese anesthesiologists I worked with. I also did a Laguna, Philippines mission in February 2012. Both were surgical missions and I was able to assist in thyroidectomies and cholecystectomies. My opportunities opened up after I became a CRNFA and I am enjoying every moment of it!
Summary: It’s been two years since I completed my RNFA program in Denver. I have to tell you that I am working excessively and successfully as an RNFA. I absolutely love what I do. I’m exhausted, but feel so accomplished! I owe it all to the fantastic training and support I received in my NIFA program. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to be an RNFA and work side by side with my surgeons. Thank you for everything. I couldn’t have been so successful without your program! Aloha.
Questions?
Do you have questions about implementing an RNFA team or becoming an RNFA? Our continuing education course, RNFAs, APRNs and Implementing an RNFA Team, will answer many of your questions. If you need answers more quickly, please see the links below or just call us at 1-800-922-7747. We will be happy to discuss any questions you may have and discuss the benefits to staff, surgeons and administrators of having an RNFA team at your facility. Prerequisites for becoming an RNFA |
| Job Front
Click here for the RNFA job postings we’ve collected for you this month! |
| Surgical Continuing Education
NIFA’s current CE offerings include online courses in: Implementing an RNFA Team at your Facility Carotid Endarterectomy
Vessel Harvesting Cesarean Section
–and our latest, Robotic Surgery Training! Call 1-800-922-7747 for details!
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| NIFA Office Hours
Monday-Thursday 7:30am – 5:00pm (Fridays 7:30am – 4:00pm). |