Guest Editorial: Being a Registered Nurse First Assistant in Quebec

Abstract

I was asked to share a bit about my reality in the role of a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA). I have been practising since 1999, and was trained in the first group of RNFAs in Quebec. The medical regulations to be able to practise in the future had to be changed, but even with that uncertainty, I still decided to register for the course. I wanted a challenge. I had been a nurse since 1986 and I started in the operating room in 1987. My training lasted three years (anatomy courses, pathology, clinical skills, and internship) at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). At that time, the training was part-time. Now, with the help of government scholarships, students have the option to do an accelerated 18-month program or the long 36-month training. Since then, I have worked at the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). When I first arrived, I needed to be accepted by the residents who felt afraid of losing their jobs (fearing that I would take their place) and by my nursing colleagues, as well. It was not an easy task, but I persevered.