Certifications for First Assisting are:

Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR)

Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA)

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The Association of  Operating Room Nurses (AORN) requires all first assistants obtain their CNOR, and recommends CRNFA certification

Certification Board Perioperative Nursing (CBPN)

 For first assistants who have obtained both certifications, CBPN has "merged credentials" for recertification

Important update!

CBPN has removed the BSN requirement to sit for the CNOR exam.

Merged Credential Information

Contact Hour Resource Document

Accepted RNFA Programs

The Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc. (AORN) is the professional organization of perioperative nurses that unites its members by providing education, representation, and standards for quality patient care. Operating room nurses are now referred to as perioperative nurses to more accurately reflect their duties immediately before, during, and after surgery. AORN is the premier association essential to the professional practice of perioperative nursing that exerts global influence to advance and protect quality perioperative services.  Further information can be obtained through their web site. www.aorn.org

Merged Credentials For Recertification Updates

Merged CNOR and CRNFA credentialing began January 1, 1998. All CRNFAs will re-certify July 1st in their CRNFA fifth year. The cost will be $325 for the two certifications. Contact hours must be 100 RNFA specific, plus 100 perioperative in content. Please contact CBPN for your specific date of renewal. Currently 15 approved RNFA programs are listed in the core curriculum. (The program at Forest Park in St. Louis, MO is included).  The programs must be associated with a university or college with 3 college credit hours. To use college credits towards your recertification, one semester hour is equal to 15 contact hours and ¼ hour is equal to 10 contact hours. One CME is equal to 1.2 contact hours.