The new website for the Association of Surgical Assistants will go live in only a matter of days.  In the mean time, we have received an overwhelming response from SFAs throughout the country ready and willing to sign up and get involved.  Those of you who were previously members of the Association of Surgical Assistants prior to June 1, 2010 when the organization was under the umbrella of AST will have to rejoin.  Please contact ASA and apply for Active or Associate membership as your ASA membership cards are now void.  Also, there are many of you who are wanting to join for the first time.  With membership applications for the new association currently available, the information and resources for joining ASA have been posted to the following link:

http://www.surgicalassistantresource.org/index.php?p=1_32_Join-ASA

I encourage all of you to take part in the newly redesigned ASA.  Membership in the new organization is open to all CSAs, CFAs, and SA-Cs.  It’s time to let our voice be heard!

The new membership categories are as follows:

Active Member

•One who either (1) passed the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) Certified First Assistant (CFA) national certifying examination and maintains certification as defined by the NBSTSA; (2) passed the National Surgical Assistants (NSAA) Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA) national certifying and maintains certification as defined by the NSAA; (3) passed the American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA Surgical Assistant—Certified (SA-C) national certifying examination and maintains certification as defined by the ABSA; or (4) any other surgical assistant credential acceptable to the ASA.
•Active members have voice and vote.

Associate Member

•One who has passed the national certifying examination in the field of surgical technology offered by the NBSTSA to become a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST).
•One who has proof of either having completed or being currently enrolled as a student in a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited surgical assisting program or its equivalent.
•One whose primary source of employment is teaching in a CAAHEP-accredited surgical assisting program or its equivalent.
•Associate members have voice but no vote.

Student Member

•Please refer to Associate member.

Affiliate Member

•Any individual or organization that wishes to affiliate with ASA and is approved by the ASA as defined in the ASA Policy Manual.
•Affiliate members have voice but no vote.

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While here at the 2010 conference in Dallas, TX we laid the foundations of this organization by formally introducing the interim board of directors, conducting our business sessions apart from AST with our own members for the first time, and by firming up our coming educational opportunities, which will feature a cadaver lab at Arthrex headquarters in Florida in November of this year and an off-site Da Vinci robotics lab for ASA at the 2011 conference in San Francisco. We have also been networking with many other advanced surgical companies to offer education that is specific to what WE do. This is a true turning point for our profession and we invite you all to take part.

So what’s next? The new membership organization officially goes live on June 1 and we are encouraging you to join us by calling member services at 800-637-7433 to join. A new member benefit brochure was published this week and will be available online very shortly. New member dues for Active and Associate members has been set at $150.00 and $75.00 for the student rate. Students are also eligible for a bundled package to include ASA membership, CFA certification, the CFA study guide, and more at a deeply discounted rate. Once you become an Active member, please send us a Consent to Serve Form as well as a CV so that we can begin our search for the rest of our future leaders. Remember that all leadership positions are open to any CFA, CSA, or SA-C with Active membership status in the new ASA; you do not have to be a CST or a member of AST to apply. We are currently looking to fill three BOD positions with appointments through 2011 when several positions will be up for election at the San Francisco conference. We are also seeking out motivated members to join committees and start state assemblies to push for legislation in your area. The time has arrived for the SFA!

Thank you to all of those who have made this possible. There are many of you who have fought for this for a long time and your efforts are paying off in a big way. Thank you for your time and sacrifice.

Also, we will tie up the new website production right after conference, so watch for the launch of the NEW website within the next couple of weeks.

Image from http://surgicalassistantsalary.com/images/surgical_assistant_salary.JPG

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Haiti in Ruins

In the wake of the disaster that struck just west of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, a medical emergency is quickly taking a toll on the already devasted country.  With significant aftershocks continuing, over 100,000 people reported dead, hospitals and key medical facilities in ruble, and many key medical personnel missing, the area is in full crisis.  Current reports are that approximately 3 million people are injured and public health resources are seriously drained.  According to the Haiti government, many of these people will not be able to receive the care that they need.  In an attempt to send aid to the victims of the earthquake, non-profit organizations are asking for money rather than goods.  With many organizations already on the ground providing the victims with the supplies that they need, they are calling for monetary donations to help them in their efforts.  Here are some ways we can help:

To send help to Haiti quickly, please text the word “HAITI” to “90999″ and a donation of $10 will automatically be sent to the American Red Cross and will be added to your cell phone bill.

Contact the American Red Cross directly by clicking here.

Help the efforts of InterAction by clicking here.

The Center for International Disaster Information will accept donations of goods or services by clicking here.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As we enter the new year (and subsequently, the new decade) there is certainly reason to rejoice.  2009 has been a great year for the profession.  Surgical Assistants throughout the country have taken action at the local level and many new projects have arisen that have helped to increase the visibility of the profession.  On the national level, NSAA and AST/ASA continue to lobby for legislation and we have made strides in the right direction.  Now with three states and the District of Columbia formally recognizing the role of the Surgical Assistant and a couple more on the way, we can kick into full gear in 2010.  The new year will likely bring an entirely new set of challenges in the wake of healthcare reform and ever changing insurance guidelines.  However, now with more unity than ever we will continue to work hard this year and overcome the challenges ahead.  Great things are coming out of ASA, and I am excited to see the Association become what it was meant to be, a stand alone umbrella organization for all Non-physician Surgical First Assistants regardless of credential.  As far as this site is concerned, Surgical Assistant Resource will continue to serve as a platform for the education, unity, and advancement of both the Surgical Assistant and Surgical Technologist.  Of course we need the help of all SFAs and CSTs to accomplish this task.  A big thanks goes out to all of those who have helped to build this website.  Keep the information coming!  This blog can be a great place to post information that you would like to share about local conferences, state association meetings, legislative updates, experiences you have had in the OR, or anything else you feel would help unite us and move the profession along.  Thanks again to all of you and have a great new year.  HAPPY 2010!!

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http://surgtech.gulfcoast.edu/programs/default.asp

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I hope this post finds you all well this holiday season.  And for those of you having to work or take call on Christmas or New Year’s, you have my sympathy.  This season will be my first in four years that I haven’t had to work and take call, and I am ecstatic.  Last year I was on call and made it all the way up until 11:45 PM New Year’s eve before I got called in to do a C-Section.  Don’t get me wrong, it is always cool to witness the miracle of life, but it can be a little irritating knowing that your friends are eating all of the shrimp cocktail while you are gone.  I’m sure you can all relate. 

Be safe and have a great week.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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I remember back to my first time as an “assistant” at the OR table.  I felt really cool and important of course, I maybe even felt a little bit of pride in the fact that I was the one asked to assist the surgeon.  But in reality, all I really did was hold the leg on a total hip!  I had no idea of the types of emotions that I would have later when I became a SFA student at clinicals.  The first time I reported to the surgeon (instead of my charge nurse) before the start of the day, I was more than a little nervous.  I had been in the OR many many times and had done countless procedures, but this feeling was different.  There were a whole new set of rules and expectations.  I knew that my peers looked at me in a different way.  Many of them wanted me to succeed and saw my hard work as a positive step toward advancing my career and were happy for me.  Others, well they were less than excited.  Some of my fellow ST’s with aeons more experience than me, were apprehensive and antagonistic about my role as the assistant.  This only added to the pressure I felt as I walked into the room.  It must have been a hundred degrees in the OR that day.  Our patient was scheduled for a lumbar laminectomy/discectomy.  I was very nervous but controlled it calmly and collectively.  Even though I was sweaty and my headlight wasn’t pointing in the right direction, forcing me to tilt my head in an aweful direction to keep my surgeon from realizing it, I was able to keep it together.  That case lasted forever!

Finally, after three long hours that felt like an eternity, the case was pretty much over and I was confident that I had done a superb job.  Just when the anxiety was about to subside, my surgeon scrubbed out and started to dictate.  Well, that was great except for the fact that the patient’s wound was wide open!  Though the scrub (whom I had known for a year at that point) was wearing a mask, I could tell she was smirking as she handed me the suture and pick-ups.  Finally, something donned on me.  Why was I so nervous?  I had received great training and was capable of doing this!  Of course pigs are a little different than humans, but dangit I could do this!  As I went through the layers and threw my stitches, one phrase looped through my mind like a mantra, “Use the Force!”  After working through my inner tribulation, I calmed down again and got the case done.  Of course it wasn’t until the last five minutes, but everything worked out well for the case and the patient.

As time went on, day by day, I got less and less nervous.  It took me six months to get through all of my clinical rotations as a First Assistant student, but the feeling of accomplishment I had upon completion of my program and subsequently my certification exams still lingers.  I know exactly what Heather was feeling on her first day of ST clinicals, and I’m sure you can all relate.  The suggestions that she lays out are great, especially for students beginning clinicals for a Surgical Assistant program.  No matter how long we have been in the field as Techs, all of those crazy nervous feelings come back again when we move up to the assistant role for the first time.

Read her article here to find out what you can do to lessen the anxiety.

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During this past week, information was released from Steris Corporation and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the currently marketed Steris System 1 (SS1) peracetic acid table-top sterilizer.  According to the FDA, the agency “has not approved or cleared the currently-marketed SS1 and the agency has not determined whether it is safe or effective for its labeled claims, including claims that it sterilizes medical devices.”  This news comes on the heels of a warning letter sent to SterisCorporation in May of 2008 stating that changes made to the sterilizer would significantly alter the safety and functionality of the device, thus creating a possible danger to patients coming into contact with items processed in the new SS1.  Current FDA regulations require medical device manufacturers to inform the agency of significant changes to medical devices that can affect patient safety by submitting  a premarket notification or 510(k), which was not completed by Steris.  According to Steris Corporation, the changes in question made to the device took place between 1988 and 2002.  In July of 2008, Steris responded to the FDA by denying the necessity of a new 510(k), which it reluctantly submitted on January 5thof this year.  Apparently, during a conference call with Steris, the FDA made recommendations regarding the use of alternative methods of sterilization by customers who have purchased the device.  Although at this time, the FDA has not determined the safety or effectiveness of the device.  According to the FDA, Steris has not been in satisfactory compliance with its recommendation to switch product users to an effective alternative means of sterilization.  Therefor, Steris has discontinued US sales of the SS1 device other than customer support.  Their sales discontinuation however does not constitute a recall.  Steris has reportedly devised a “time-table” for switching users to another means of sterilization.  In the mean-time, the FDA has issued the following statement on their website to current users of the SS1:

“If you have an acceptable alternative to the SS1 to meet your sterilization and disinfection needs, you should transition to that alternative as soon as possible to ensure continued patient safety. If you do not have an acceptable alternative to the SS1, you should promptly assess your facility’s patient-care needs and sterilization and disinfection requirements and take steps to obtain legally-marketed substitutes for the SS1.”

Surely this news will come as a shock to many healthcare facilities.  I find it interesting that the problems started over a year ago and has only really come to the attention of many facilities this week with the release of the FDA’s SS1 customer letter on December 3rd, and response from Steris to its customers on the 6th.  For those of you looking for more information on the matter, please read the attached references:

STERIS Releases Letter to Customers Regarding SYSTEM 1 – Endonurse article December 7, 2009

Steris System 1 Customer Notice January 20, 2009

Questions and Answers About the Steris System 1 Processor For Healthcare Facilities – From the FDA website

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