National Assistant at Surgery Certification (NASC) Receives Accreditation of its Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA) From the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification

Mt Laurel, NJ, (October 16, 2024) —The Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), is pleased to announce the National Assistant at Surgery Certification (NASC) has been granted accreditation for the Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA) certification program.

NASC was founded in 2009 and became the national certifying organization for Registered Nurse First Assistants (RNFAs) in 2019. RNFA is an expanded nursing role providing care for patients before, during and after surgery. The RNFA achieves optimal patient outcomes in the surgical setting by working in collaboration with the surgeon and other healthcare team members. Approximately 1,040 RNFAs currently hold the CRNFA credential.

“NASC is proud to offer RNFA certification through the CRNFA Professional Portfolio. The portfolio process offers RNFAs a unique opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the tasks required of an RNFA. Earning the prestigious ABSNC accreditation is a testament to NASC’s continued commitment to maintaining the highest standards of excellence for CRNFA certification,” said NASC Executive Director, Julia Johnson, MS.

ABSNC accreditation is a peer-reviewed mechanism that allows nursing certifying organizations to obtain program accreditation by demonstrating compliance with the highest quality standards in the industry. To maintain accreditation, programs must exhibit continuing adherence to the 18 standards set forth. “ABSNC Accreditation represents a recognized standard in certification testing and indicates that the credential meets or exceed legal and regulatory guidelines,” said Felicia Lembesis, CAE, Executive Director.

The mission of ABSNC is to recognize quality specialty nursing and associated non-RN certification programs through accreditation. It is the only accrediting body specifically for nursing certification.  ABSNC currently accredits more than 80 certification programs from 27 specialty nursing certification organizations. The accreditation standards offered by ABSNC include Examination-Based Certification Programs, Portfolio Assessment Certification Programs, and Assessment-Based Certificate Programs. For more information about ABSNC and its accreditation standards, please visit www.absnc.org or contact Felicia Lembesis, ABSNC Executive Director, (flembesis@ahint.com, 856-439-9080).