SCC’s strategic plan includes several goals surrounding student success, enrollment growth and new program development.
ACCREDITED SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTANT PROGRAM PROFESSIONAL
At this time, the CSFA cannot bill as a provider in Nebraska, so they are practicing out of professional pride. Their desire to learn and grow comes from their passion for the profession, and the new skills they gain increase that passion. In our program, we’ve found that students are excited to advance their involvement with the surgical procedure. “The assistant becomes familiar with my techniques and the operation goes smoother.” “Highly trained assistants make my job easier, which leads to better outcomes and less complications for patients.” When I do not have an APP with me, certainly having a first assist is almost the same intra-op… it’s just the pre- and post-op care that differentiate things in the OR setting.” I like having someone I know and can trust to help close, dress and splint patients, whether or not I have an advanced practice provider (APP) with me. The first assists are generally more proactive and anticipate surgeon needs.
“In addition to reduced OR time for the surgeon, staff and (most importantly) the patient, having a first assist allows me to have someone that I trust. Here are some quotes from a few of the surgeons received on student evaluations:
They appreciate that the Certified Surgical First Assistants (CSFAs) are invested in the procedure. Surgeons like knowing who will assist them. It’s worth noting that not all surgeons have a physician assistant, especially in rural Nebraska. Even so, the program seems to be off to a good start. We are just in our second cohort for this new program, so we haven’t had a lot of feedback from hospitals yet. What benefits have you seen for your institution, your students and your community as a result of this? Since Nebraska has a law that requires graduation from a CAAHEP or other programmatically accredited program, SCC felt that an online program would be advantageous for the community and rural Nebraska. A few went to an online surgical first assisting program, though at this time there were only three such programs in the country. Most of the then practicing SFAs in Nebraska acquired their education though experience and then sat for board exams with the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). Licensure enforcement began in January 2017. This required licensure of the surgical first assistant under the Board of Surgery and Medicine, but it did not do much else for the role of the surgical technologist, which remains relatively unregulated. After several review processes with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and multiple hearings with legislators, the state passed Legislative Bill 721 (LB721). In 2014, the United States Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the state of Nebraska launched an investigation into the role of the surgical first assistant, after an uncertified surgical technologist was found be practicing as an SFA.
What prompted you to start a surgical assisting program? Hear from Program Director Cynthia Kreps on what drove this decision and how launching the certificate has benefitted their college and community. Southeast Community College (SCC) in Lincoln, NE, recently launched a certificate program for students looking to become surgical first assistants (SFAs). Featuring Cynthia Kreps, BS, CFSA, CST, Surgical First Assisting Program Director, Southeast Community College
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