Which role is listed as part of perioperative nursing alongside CRNA?

• A. RN 1st Assistant
• B. CNA
• C. CNS
• D. LPN

Answer: (A)

In the perioperative setting, the nursing team is built around the anesthesia provider and a nurse who actively assists the surgeon during the operation. The RN First Assistant is the nurse who has specialized training and certification to perform tasks that support the surgeon in the sterile field, such as providing exposure, tissue handling, suturing, and helping achieve hemostasis, all under the surgeon’s direction. This role is designed to function alongside the CRNA as part of the professional perioperative team in Florida.

A Certified Nursing Assistant is not a licensed nurse and typically serves in supportive, non-operating room roles, so they aren’t listed as part of the core perioperative nursing team. A Clinical Nurse Specialist focuses on expert nursing practice, education, consultation, and quality improvement rather than serving as the operative first assistant. A Licensed Practical Nurse has a more limited scope of practice and is not the designated perioperative first assistant in standard Florida practice.