MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Michelle Rey, CST

Empowering our community was the theme of the 39th Annual AST Conference, in Orlando, Florida.  While on my flight home I was reflecting on the events of the week and thought to myself, what are we as a state assembly doing to empower our community?  What can we do to make a difference?

 Legislation and state assembly issues were the big focus at conference this year.  I spoke on Effective Communications at the State Assembly Leadership Forum, and Herschell Evans, CST from our Board of Directors attended the leadership workshops.  We met some exciting new people who are willing to help with California legislation, and have already begun to work with Ben Price at AST with our bill template.  The California State Assembly also sponsored Fazal Aasi, MD as a speaker, and donated $300 to the AST Student Association to help with the Student Track.

It was a wonderful experience to see many organizations united at this conference.  Susan K. Banschbach, RN, CNOR, MSN, AORN President and Richard Schule, CST, CRCST, (IAHCSMM) President both spoke at opening ceremony on the importance of working together in the operating room.  Keith Orloff, CST, FAST, Executive Director of the ARC-ST and Ronald Kruzel, CST, Executive Director of the NBSTSA, both formerly from California were also in attendance.

Orlando is a long way from home, but it was great to see six California students at the Student Track.  Two students were from Glendale Career College, and four were from Western Career College in Northern California.  I had a chance to speak with some of the students, and I was very impressed with their excitement, motivation, and willingness to get involved.  Thank you Jamie Upton, Vanessa Barajas, Deborah Rock, and the other Western Career College girls for your inspiration.

Connie Bell, CST, Herschell Evans, CST, Niall Davis, CST, Dan Simpson, CST, Elizabeth Moody, CST, and myself served as Delegates, and the election results for the new board and officers of AST are as follows:  Jeff Feix, CST, CFA, LVN, FAST – Secretary, Crit Fisher, CST – Board of Directors, Roy Zacharias, CST – Board of Directors, Kathleen Demitras, CST, CFA – Board of Directors, and Tammy Mangold, CST, CFA, FAST – Board of Directors.

Again, the question is what can we do to empower our community?  Your state assembly is dedicated to serving this profession to the best of our ability.  We have moved our monthly meetings to a new city each month, have committed to helping with the Operation Smile Annual Conference, are supporting a Mission to Mexico, and are strongly supporting our legislative efforts for the CST title protection, and the CST credential as a condition of employment.

Our next annual conference has already been secured at The Coast Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, California for October 4, 2008.  Make your reservations early! 

The 40th Annual AST Conference will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada in May of 2009.  Start making plans, in 2011 the AST National Conference will be in San Francisco, California. 

Thank you again for allowing me to serve you, and I encourage each of you to attend at least one board of director monthly meeting.  You never know, you might actually have fun and possibly make a difference in the life of someone else.

By Laws

By Michelle Rey, CST

At the National Conference the house of delegates voted in the following amendments to the National Bylaws:

SECTION 2:  Eligibility of Directors

1. A candidate for the Board of Directors shall have been an active member for three immediately preceding nomination and, if elected, shall maintain that active status.

1. least one full complete three year term on a national committee, whether standing or special (ad hoc), the NBSTSA, the CST-ERC, the CFA-ERC, the ARC-ST, or a complete two year term as an officer in a current or previous constituent division within the last ten years.

Communication

Updates

By Debra Mays, CST

Our California State Assembly website is BACK and better than ever!!!!!

We are all happy to inform you that the website for the California State Assembly may be accessed by going to the AST website at www.ast.org.  Click on State Assemblies, then go to California, then drop down to the word website- and there you are!!!

Check out our latest photo gallery and have a look at your Officers and Board of Directors’ photos, as well as their biographies. In addition, there are some great pictures from the last California Conference at the Morongo Casino.  The November 2007 issue of the Newsletter is posted there for your information as well.

The latest news will now be available for you from your State Assembly!

Thank you all for your patience during our transition to the new website.  Be sure to spread the word to your colleagues about how to access us, and we’ll continually update the site, including the latest editions of the CA-SA Newsletter.

GAPA Update

By Debra Mays, CST

Our California State Assembly is committed to push forward with our legislative efforts, in particular, the best way to encourage hospitals to hire only Certified Surgical Technologists.  We need to begin with educating our state Legislators about who we are and what we do.  The skills, knowledge and ability needed to anticipate the needs of surgeon, as well as the mind set of “Patient First”, is only a part of our profession.

I am sure we have all encountered ourselves trying to explain our profession to people who have never heard of it.  “Passing” instruments to the surgeon in an operating room doesn’t begin to adequately describe the profession of Surgical Technology.

in training in basic sciences, anatomy, critical thinking

skills, pathophysiology, aseptic technique, operative procedures as well as specific variations, environmental concerns and roles of the surgical team members.  They may be practicing with little or no formal education by an accredited program in the profession.  However, some of these employees may be using the title, CST after their name.

Every surgical patient deserves a Certified Surgical Technologist next to the surgeon.  We need to let our legislators know about what we do, what we know, and how we do it.

 I enjoyed the article by our AST President, Sherrie Alexander in the April 2008 edition of “The Surgical Technologist” magazine.  Taking Mock Surgery to their legislators was a bold and innovative idea.

Bottom line is, GET INVOLVED.  Your State Assembly is working to protect our CST title, and move forward to require certification as a condition of employment.  Check out the AST website, and log onto the Legislative Action Center.  Write letters, and volunteer to help us.  We would appreciate hearing from our members all over California who may be interested in traveling to Sacramento to help communicate with our State Legislators.

What Is AST Doing For Me?

Connie Bell, CST, Chair

AST Educational and Professional Standards Committee

The Education and Professional Standards is an appointed committee of AST composed of CST’s and CFA’s working together in a collaborative effort to ensure better patient care by promoting quality of education.  This group of committed professionals has worked diligently in authoring Recommended Standards of Practice (RSOP’s), Position Statements and Guideline Statements to help practicing certified surgical technologists, certified first assistants, educators, employers, and students better understand the role and expectations of a CST and CFA in the operating room.  This project is almost complete and you can find several of the Standards and Statements that have been approved by the AST Board of Directors available on the AST web site in the members only section.

We are currently working on “AST Patient Skin Prep Charts”.  The goal is to have this publication in a “flip chart” pocket size design for easy reference by students as well as a larger, desk top model for classroom instruction.  

In order to provide affordable continuing education credits, the committee has begun working on two courses:  Fire Safety in the OR and Bio-terrorism.  Once completed, these courses will be mailed to all members and CE credits provided accordingly.

In addition, the first AST Clinical Educator and Preceptor’s Workshop will be held in Nashville, TN on October 4, 2008.  Registration fee, credits and other valuable information is available on the AST web site.  Educators, preceptors, clinical coordinators and practicing CST’s and CFA’s will certainly benefit from this educational workshop.

In closing, if you ever wonder if you are qualified to perform a given task in the OR, whether harvesting the Saphenous vein, applying the pneumatic tourniquet or performing wound closure, let your fingers to the walking!  Go to the AST web site, find the answers and start getting the recognition so much deserved as a professional Certified Surgical Technologist or Certified First Assistant.
 

Students

Our future…..

FROM LOS ANGELES TO ORLANDO

FUTURE PRACTITIONERS AT CONFERENCE

By Jamie Upton and Vanessa Barajas

As first time students at National Conference, our overall experience was amazing. It was a first time trip for both Vanessa and I to Florida. Everything was organized and well put together, giving students and CST’s alike an exciting educational experience. The AST Board of Directors, CST’s that have been in the field for years, first time visitors and students all carried themselves with a dignity and pride in a profession that we are all passionate about.

Importance of Laughter” with comedian Diana Jordan kept the mood uplifting and light, stressing that though we have a serious job, we must never stop laughing and loving life.

We enjoyed a wide variety of educational sessions, each one well presented and different. It was hard to choose between the classes offered, they all seemed so interesting. Each class provided detailed accounts on multiple topics related to our profession. The speakers knew their stuff and presented us with their knowledge and testimonies of personal experiences, incorporating outstanding visual aides. I learned something new from each class and felt fortunate to hear several dignified professionals speaking directly to CST’s in one setting.

It was especially nice to have a Student Track, designed specifically for technologists in training. It was a place where we were given a boost of confidence about going into our new profession and vital tips on how to make it out there, once we are on the job. Advice was given on resumes, professionalism, pride in our job and its vitality to the community. Questions of all nature, such as certification, continuing education credits, and how to become more involved in AST were all answered. This part of conference not only made us feel welcomed, but was extremely informative and helpful.

the Enchanted Evening Thursday night, and even more fun, if possible, dressing alike for the MASH theme party. It was fun to see everyone change attire and let their hair down at the end of the day dancing their cares away. Everyone had great outfits and smiles on their faces. It was clear that Surgical Technologists take pride in their work and love living life.

The hotel was beautiful, the exhibits and classes were informative and interesting, and the people and laughs shared were unforgettable. Walking away from our first Conference, we feel we made the best decision for the future thus far by entering the field of Surgical Technology. We would like to say Thank You to my instructors and the founders of AST. We can’t wait for conference next year in Las Vegas, as Certified Surgical Technologists!

Jamie Upton

Vanessa Barajas

These students are currently attending Glendale Career College and are scheduled to graduate in June 2008

Education Updates

By Sharon Cox, CST

Surgical Technology (ST) students at the North Hollywood Campus of Concorde Career College have been competing for the title of Mr. or Ms. Personally & Professionally Developing Surgical Technologist (PPD-ST) 2008!  ST student Joseph Brachfeld, Vice President of Club Nip & Tuck  was awarded bragging rights to the title on June 2, 2008.  He was presented with a beautiful gold framed plaque with quotes from his biographical statement, a black leather clipboard, and a black picture frame with his name and title engraved on each. 

There were five (5) categories of competition for a total of 100 points including:

1. Salesmanship in a 1 page biographical statement
2. Attendance, attitude (compliance) & dress codes
3. Academics
4. CST Prep/Jeopardy Scrub Bowl competition attendance
5. Active contributing membership points in the ST Club Nip & Tuck

ST student members of Club Nip & Tuck are continuing to hold fundraisers like those that sponsored the PPD-ST contest and will aim to sponsor all active club members for the CASA-AST Annual Conference on October 4, 2008 at the Coast Long Beach Hotel, in Long Beach.

Tuck, and along with Concorde, I look forward to being a contributor to the overall success of each and every student.

Sharon T. Cox, CST

Basic Medical Sciences & Clinical Instructor

Chair of Educ. & Prof. Development CASA-AST 

Congratulations to the 2008 Scholarship  

                           Winners!

At the AST 39^th Annual Conference on May 21^st in Orlando, Florida, the ARC-ST Board of Directors and the Foundation for Surgical Technology was please to announce the following 2008 Scholarship Awards:

Educator- ARC-ST Advanced Degree - $500

-Thomas Lescarbeau – McCann Technical College, MA

-Teri Junge – San Juaquin Valley College, CA

Student – ARC-ST - Multiple

-$1000 Cynthia Minyard – Yakima Valley Community College, WA

-$500 Christopher R. Gray – Glendale Career College, Glendale, CA

-$500 Kenneth J. Beal – Baker College of Flint, MI

Student – Foundation for Surgical Technology

-$1500 Gabriel Camomot – American Career College, Anaheim, CA.

Congratulations to the Scholarship winners and best of wishes to each of you as you pursue your personal and professional goals!

CA-SA Board of Director Meeting Dates:

June 21, 2008

Concorde Career College

12412 Victory Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

818-766-8151

*POT LUCK / All inclusive Birthday Celebration, bring a unisex gift ($15 )

July 12, 2008

Concorde Career College

4393 Imperial Ave.

San Diego, CA. 92113

619-688-0800

August 9, 2008

American Career College

1200 N. Magnolia Ave.

Anaheim, CA.

714-952-9066

September 13, 2008

Concorde Career College

201 E. Airport Drive

San Bernardino, CA 92408

909-884-8891 Ext. 341

* Celebrate ST Week

Fun Facts:

Did you know……

That the human body produces its own supply of alcohol naturally on a continuous basis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

That the late French scientist Dr. Alexis Carrel kept a Chicken heart alive for over 37 years by having the pulsating heart in a solution of Sea Salt.  Dr. Carrel voluntarily ended the experiment after a third of a century, having proven that living cells have a physical immortality.

 CA-SA