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Archived News

 

2007

 

New Executive Director Appointed by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting

 

The Board of Directors of the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) has announced the selection of Ronald O Kruzel, CST, MA, as the new executive director.

 

Previously, Ron has served as the executive director of the Accreditation Review Committee for Education in Surgical Technology (ARC-ST), since June 2005. Prior to his position with ARC-ST, he was the surgical technology program director at Simi Valley Adult School and Career Institute, Simi Valley California, for 11 years.

 

His educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in educational administration from California State University, Northridge. He was certified in 1978 as a CST.

 

In addition, he has been substantially involved in advancing the profession and has contributed his expertise in several different capacities: member of the LCC-ST CST Exam Review Committee for three years; active in the California State Assembly from 2001 through 2003, including serving as president; ARC-ST board member for two years and secretary-treasurer for one year. Since 2004, he has been a participant in the California Department of Education Professional Development and Leadership Project (CAL-PRO).

 

He will oversee the day-to-day operations and management of the employees of the NBSTSA.

 

The primary goals of the NBSTSA, a private, not-for-profit credentialing body, include promoting the highest level of professional certification through valid knowledge-based examinations and successfully marketing the nationally recognized credentials for surgical technologists and surgical assistants. The CST and CFA credentials are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies through the National Organization for Competency Assurance. The NBSTSA is jointly sponsored and supported by AST and the American College of Surgeons.

 

 

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NBSTSA……NBSTSA……NBSTSA

 

Our new name, The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), also acknowledges the credentialing of surgical assistants and serves to identify the organization as a nationally recognized credentialing agency for both surgical specialties. 

 

Our name has changed but our commitment to the professions of surgical technology and surgical assisting still remains strong.

 

2006

 

Changes to Eligibility

 

In April of 2006, the NBSTSA Board of Directors voted to remove the CFA exam eligibility route that allowed submission of verified cases only, effective January 1, 2007. This change in CFA eligibility has been nullified by recent vote of the Board until a sufficient number of CFA education programs can form and become CAAHEP accredited.

 

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Important Deadline Date Notices:

 

During the Fall Board meeting of the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), the application and Self-Study process submitted by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) was discussed.  It is my pleasure to inform you the NBSTSA voted to grant Provisional Status to ABHES, retroactive to May 1, 2006, and to continue through December 31, 2010. During the provisional status period, graduates from ST programs enjoying programmatic accreditation from ABHES, will be eligible to sit for the CST exam offered by the NBSTSA.

 

 

2005

 

AST and NBSTSA provide package discounts to members

 

At the Orlando National Conference, board members from The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), formerly the LCC-ST decided to provide deep discounts for instructors and individuals who want to purchase more than one product from the two organizations.

 

Discounts include AST membership, the national certification exam, the AST Study Guide and the NBSTSA self-assessment exam.

 

For instructors who wish to purchase ten or more packages – once again including membership, certification exam, study guide and the SAE – the discount goes even higher.

 

Go to AST website (http://www.ast.org/student/index.aspx) for more information on the discounts.

 

For more information, call AST at 1-800-637-7433.

 

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Attention Program Directors:

NBSTSA Board approves new exam policies for students

 

Over the next few months, NBSTSA plans to implement several new policies designed to create a smooth process for students and program directors.

 

The first change, scheduled to start Sept. 1, 2005, is that program directors and instructors will be able to register their students to take the exam as a group.

 

Instructors and program directors must send in all student applications at the same time. NBSTSA will process the applications and then send the Authorization to test letter to both the instructor and the student. Using the ATT letter, the instructor schedules the exam for the class at the same time.

 

Depending on the size of the testing center closest to the school, the students might have to test in groups or over the course of two days.

 

Rural schools that do not have a  Prometric testing site could schedule a proctored exam at their school site, with some special arrangements by Chauncey to ensure exam security.

 

Students to take the exam before graduation

 

Also beginning Sept. 1, students can apply for and attempt the CST examination 30 days before they graduate.

 

NBSTSA will not release results to the candidate or any other party until graduation is confirmed. If the association does not receive proof of graduation within 60 days of graduation, then the certification is invalid. To qualify for a future CST exam, the candidate will be required to submit a new application, new testing fee and proof of graduation.

 

Proof of graduation includes letters from the education program director, diplomas or an official transcript.  Proof of graduation from an education director must be notarized and on official school letterhead.

 

Once NBSTSA receives the proof of graduation, we will send out examination results, certificates and certification cards.

 

NBSTSA, AST and ARC-ST conduct historic summit meeting

 

In early spring, the boards of all three surgical technologist organizations met for the first time in two decades, putting together a new strategic plan and pledging to work together.

 

The three groups met in Colorado Springs, which was the headquarters for the NBSTSA. Over three days, they hammered out the top priorities for the surgical technologist profession:

 

 

The three groups also pledged to continue to work together, creating a tri-council of all three organizations in surgical technology. A joint task force will decide the format of the tri-council. The consortium will identify projects that each of the three branches can pursue that will lead to better recognition in the surgical technology community.

 

In addition, the three groups defined the mission statement that drives them all: “To Enhance the Profession to Ensure Quality Patient Care.”  They also defined their core values as the following:

 

Every patient deserves a Certified Surgical Technologist, ensuring excellence in surgical patient care through:

                                                              

At the end of the three-day summit, all three organizations agreed to continue the practice of meeting once a year to monitor progress on meeting the goals set at the strategic planning session and to create new projects and procedures to advance the field of surgical technology.

 

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NBSTSA teams with AST to process renewal continuing education credits.

 

Beginning Jan. 1, 2005, NBSTSA and AST teamed to begin processing continuing education credits for certificants interested in renewing their certification through the CEU process.

 

All credits will be processed through the AST office, then checked via secure computer links at the NBSTSA offices.

Credits must be received and processed at AST before the certification expiration date.

 

AST members can have credits processed during both four- and six-year cycles at no charge. Non-members pay a fee based on the certification and the cycle.

 

Six year cycle for CST renewals is $400; four –year cycle for CSTs is $400. The CFA six-year cycle is $400 and the four-year cycle is $400.

 

For more information on how CEUs are processed, contact AST Member Services by dialing 1-800-637-7433 option 3.