P u b l i s h e d f o r s u r g i c a l t e c h n o l o g y e d u c a t o r s b y t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f S u r g i c a l Te c h n o l o g i s t s

I N S TR UCTOR SV O L U M E 2 0 , N U M B E R 1F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 7

Reinforcing Classroom Learning in the Clinical Environment

continued on page 3

During the past three years of teaching for the Surgical Technol-ogy Department at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, I have found that tools for student assessment have become the same for most instructors. We give quizzes, tests and writing assign-ments to assess how much the students have retained from at-tending lectures and studying the assigned chapters in order to pass. However, once the students pass, a large portion of the de-tails gets deleted from their minds, overlapped by new informa-tion that they must regurgitate to make the grades and pass the class. These assessment tools are not the only way to measure retention. I discovered other ways to assess student retention by networking with other instructors.

ing clinicals to help solve this problem. When I was hired at my university, I was told that the previous clinical coor-dinator held post-conference meetings. During these 10-20 minute meetings with the students at the end of the clini-cal day, we discuss the surgeries that the students performed, ask any general or specific questions about a case, and touch base with them overall as a group. I thought that this was the perfect setting to incorporate what they were learning in their lectures and set that information to real-life surgeries or situa-tions that they will eventually encounter during their career as a surgical technolo-gist. I wanted to align what I was teach-ing during these conferences with what Dr. Fulbright was teaching in her class so students do better on her exams, so they

inside

p3Read sample discussion ques-tions used during post-con-ference discussion groups like the one pictured below.

p2National Surgical Technologists WeekPlan now for how you’ll celebrate.

Ashley Smith, BAS, CST

I ATTENDED AST’S INSTRUCTORS FORUM held in Houston, Texas, in February 2016. While I was there, I was able to listen andconverse with other instructors about how they make the classroom/lab more exciting for their students and how they think outside of tests, quizzes and writing assignments. I found that most incorporated games (as do I) within the lab, but my students only spend nine weeks in the lab before going to the hospitals. At that point, they are only in class with Program Director Sydney Fulbright, PhD, RN, CNOR, and in clinicals. I was (and still am) challenged with how I can best instill the detailed infor-mation that the students will use once they graduate and become functioning members of the surgical team. I decided to do a hybrid lecture/lab lesson dur-

p8National Honor SocietyCongratulations to the out-standing students who joined the honor society in March and April.

Save the DateAST Educators ConferenceFeb. 8-10, 2018Charleston, S.C.

2017Galaxy Stars

p4AST’s Galaxy of StarsWe appreciate all of our Galaxy Star schools. See who won the grand prize drawing.

Charleston’s Pineapple Fountain

2JUNE 2017 | The Surgical Technologist | 249

September 17-23, 2017

Planning something big for NSTW this year?

We want you to show your events and your pride with others within the surgical

community. Post your events and activities to our Facebook page

and keep an eye out for the details for this year’s photo contest.

The rules and instructions will be posted in the Journal, online

at www.ast.org and on our Facebook page.

The goal of National Surgical Technologists Week is to educate

the public about what you do every day in the OR. The best way to

do that is to step out from behind the mask and be an advocate for the profession that you live and breathe. By raising awareness in

your community you promote your own profession.

Association of Surgical TechnologistsASTAssociation of Surgical TechnologistsAST

3

Reinforcing Classroom Learning continued from page 1

function in reality when these issues arise, and they think ethically about what they should do in certain situations. Every textbook has discussion questions or critical think-ing questions at the end of its chapters. I took a question from the textbook and workbook that we would be using in the upcoming year, aligned it with the date that it was being discussed in lecture, and uploaded it online for all the stu-dents to see. See SAMPLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS below. It is the students’ responsibility to have their answers pre-pared before coming to our post-conference meeting. This way they can research the question, ask other classmates and possibly ask their preceptors. The questions engage communication and general interest in the topic. The question of the day is discussed last at the post-conference meeting. We still talk about what happened that day with everybody, make announcements for upcom-ing events and alert the students where they will be going on the next clinical day. Once the general discussion has wrapped up, we begin the question of the day. I read the question out loud and every student must answer either in-dividually or together as a group. Often, there are multiple questions within the day’s scenario, so each student is able to answer a different question. I ask these discussion questions on Mondays and Wednesdays concurrently with my adjunct instructors at our other facilities. Each adjunct has access to each day’s ques-tion, so every student in the cohort gets asked the same question on the same day. For accreditation purposes, I must provide examples of didactic evaluation tools. “Evaluation of students must be conducted on a recurrent basis and with sufficient frequen-cy to provide both the students and program faculty with valid and timely indications of the students’ progress toward and achievement of the competencies and learning domains stated in the curriculum.”1 To adhere to this guideline, my adjuncts and I document each student’s participation to the discussion question. We keep a log with students names and dates for each discus-sion question. If a student is at another facility with an adjunt instructor, is absent or went home early, I note the reason for lack of participation next to that date. Because “records of student evaluations that must be maintained in sufficient detail to document learning progress and achieve-ment,”2 I turn in copies of these logs to the dean of the college and keep the originals in our files for accreditation purposes. The 2015-2016 cohort had 93% participation from both facilities. This percentage demonstrates the success of participation from the class (shown by research and being

prepared) in conjunction with the students’ clinical as-signments. This rubric demonstrates an ability to link what they’ve learned the day before in lecture to what we are talking about that day in real-life scenarios. With added encouragement from me and pressing the importance of these questions and meetings with this year’s class, I have increase this year’s percentage. The 2016-2017 cohort had 99% participation, with only five days of having 16 of 17 students participating. That is an incredible increase in participation over last year due to enforcement and blending of lecture questions with clinical experiences. The discussion questions at the end of each clinical day provide great feedback about didactic retention and offer opportunities for students to “think outside the book.” They will still regurgitate their research done on the ques-tions, but more elaboration and detail are needed to engage them in a true discussion. By adding “what if,” “what’s your opinion” and “what would you do ethically” questions (among others) to expand on the basic discussion questions, true engagement and participation that is not recorded on notepads are required. By putting students in a discussion that ties together what the book and the job are teaching, these meetings give a well-rounded educational experience that goes beyond just the physical aspect of be-ing a surgical technologist. Instructors need to persuade students to always use their minds before using their bodies, encouraging examination and mindfulness of patients’ symptoms when prepping the operating room with equipment and supplies. Knowing how to respond to different scenarios throughout the whole embodiment of surgery will turn students into excellent surgical technologists for both the patients and their fellow workers.

About the Author:Ashley Smith has been a CST since 2004, and clinical coordi-nator/instructor for the Univer-sity of Arkansas-Fort Smith Sur-gical Technology Department since 2014. She holds associate and bachelor’s degrees (applied sciences-surgical technology) and is starting her master’s in education (adult and lifelong learning) in fall 2017.

References1. Comission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program. Standards and

Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Surgical Technology. Ac-creditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assist-ing website. http://www.arcstsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ST-Standards-2013.pdf. Published Aug. 1, 2013. Accessed May 15, 2017.

2. Surgical Technology Standards Interpretive Guide (SIG). Accreditation Review Coun-cil on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting website. http://www.arcstsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SIG-ST-0816.pdf. Published Aug. 1, 2016. Accessed May 15, 2017.

January 23: What nerve requires careful dissection during thyroid surgery? Why is it important for the CST to maintain the sterile field until the patient is extubated and breathing freely fol-lowing a thyroidectomy? What happens if all parathyroid glands are removed? Why should the surgical team be concerned about a patient’s voice following a thyroidectomy? March 8: Eleanor is a 65 year old woman who was admitted to the hospital for a total hip arthroplasty. Her primary diagnosis is osteoporosis. She states she was walking with her walker down the hallway and just fell. What type of fracture is she most likely to have suffered? Describe a routine draping procedure for this case. Osteomyelitis is a grave concern. What may be done right after draping and why? Will the incision be drained? Describe the immedi-ate postoperative care the patient will receive.

S A M P L E D I S C U S S I O N Q U E S T I O N S

4

2017Galaxy StarsThank you for promoting the profession of surgical technology by encouraging

student memberships. And, congratulations to the grand prize winners: George Barrera, CST/CSFA, Baptist Health System School of Health Professions,

and Dona Hoyt, CST, Cape Coral Technical College.

ALABAMABevill State Community College

Calhoun Community College

Faulkner State Community College

Flowers Hospital

Huntsville Hospital

Lurleen B. Wallace Community College

Southern Union State Community College

Virginia College - Birmingham

Virginia College - Mobile

ARKANSASArkansas State University

Baptist School of Surgical Technology

North Arkansas College

Northwest Technical Institute

South Arkansas Community College

Southeast Arkansas College

University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

ARIZONAEast Valley Institute of Technology

GateWay Community College

Mohave Community College

Pima Community College

CALIFORNIACareer Networks Institute

Carrington College California - Citrus Heights

Carrington College California- San Jose

Concorde Career College - North Hollywood

Concorde Career College - San Bernardino

Concorde Career College- San Diego

Glendale Career College - Glendale

Miracosta Community College

Mount Diablo Adult Education Center

North-West College -Riverside

North-West College -West Covina

Premiere Career College

San Joaquin Valley College - Bakersfield

San Joaquin Valley College - Fresno

Simi Valley Career Institute

Skyline College

Southwestern Community College

COLORADOAims Community College

Concorde Career College - Aurora

Everest College - Thornton

CONNECTICUTAlbert I. Prince CTHSS

Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing

Eli Whitney Vocational Technical School

Manchester Community Technical College

DELAWAREDelaware Technical Community College

FLORIDACape Coral Institute of Technology

College of Central Florida

Concorde Career College - Miramar

Concorde Career Institute - Jacksonville

Concorde Career Institute - Orlando

Concorde Career Institute - Tampa

Daytona State College

Eastern Florida State College

Florida State College at Jacksonville

Fortis College- Orange Park

Fortis Institute- Lauderdale Lakes

Gulf Coast State College

Indian River State College

Keiser University - Clearwater

Lindsey Hopkins Education Center

Lorenzo Walker Technical College

Manatee Technical Institute

Orlando Technical Educational Center

Palm Beach State College

Pensacola State College

Pinellas Technical Education Center

Riveroak Technical College

Santa Fe Community College

Sheridan Technical College

Southeastern College- Palm Beach

Southeastern College- Miami Lakes

Southeastern College - Tampa

Suncoast Technical College

Tallahassee Community College

Traviss Career Center

Virginia College - Pensacola

GEORGIA Albany Technical College

Athens Technical College

Atlanta Technical College

Augusta Technical College

Central Georgia Technical College

Chattahoochee Technical College

Coastal Pines Technical College

Columbus Technical College

Everest Institute - Marietta

Georgia Northwestern Technical College Walker County Campus

5

Gwinnett Technical College

Lanier Technical College

Ogeechee Technical College

Savannah Technical College

Southern Crescent Technical College - Griffin

Southern Regional Technical College

Virginia College - Augusta

Virginia College - Columbus

Virginia College - Savannah

West Georgia Technical College

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College

HAWAIIKapiolani Community College

IOWADes Moines Area Community College

Iowa Lakes Community College

Iowa Western Community College

Kirkwood Community College

Mercy College of Health Sciences

Scott Community College

Western Iowa Tech Community College

IDAHOCollege of Southern Idaho

College of Western Idaho at Boise State University

Eastern Idaho Technical College

ILLINOISCollege of DuPage

College of Lake County

Elgin Community College

Illinois Central College

John Wood Community College

Lincoln Land Community College

Malcolm X College

Parkland College

Prairie State College

Richland Community College

Robert Morris University

Rock Valley College

Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market

Triton College

Waubonsee Community College

INDIANA Harrison College - Ft. Wayne Campus

Harrison College - Indianapolis East Campus

Indiana University Health

Ivy Tech Community College - Columbus

Ivy Tech Community College - Evansville

Ivy Tech Community College - Indianapolis

Ivy Tech Community College - Kokomo

Ivy Tech Community College - Lafayette

Ivy Tech Community College - Muncie

Ivy Tech Community College - Terre Haute

Ivy Tech Community College - Valparaiso

National College - Indianapolis

University of Saint Francis

Vincennes University

KANSASHutchinson Community College

Neosho County Community College

Seward County Community College

Washburn Institute of Technology

Wichita Area Technical College

KENTUCKYAshland Community and Technical College

Bluegrass Community and Technical College

Hazard Community and Technical College

Jefferson Community and Technical College

Madisonville Community College

National College - Florence

National College - Lexington

National College - Louisville

Owensboro Community and Technical College

Saint Catharine College

Somerset Community College

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College

Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College

Spencerian College

West Kentucky Community & Technical College

LOUISIANABaton Rouge Community College

Bossier Parish Community College

Career Technical College - Monroe

Delgado Community College

Fortis College - Baton Rouge

South Central Louisiana Technical College - LaFourche

South Louisiana Community College - Lafayette

Southern University at Shreveport

Virginia College - Baton Rouge

MASSACHUSETTS Bunker Hill Community College

Massachusetts Bay Community College

McCann Technical School

North Shore Community College

Quincy College

Quinsigamond Community College

Springfield Technical Community College

MARYLANDAnne Arundel Community College

Baltimore City Community College

Chesapeake College

Community College of Baltimore County

Fortis Institute - Woodlawn

Frederick Community College

Montgomery College

MAINEEastern Maine Community College

Maine Medical Center

MICHIGANBaker College - Allen Park

Baker College - Cadillac

Baker College - Clinton Township

Baker College - Flint

Baker College - Jackson

Baker College - Muskegon

Delta College

Henry Ford College

Lansing Community College

Macomb Community College

Northern Michigan University

Oakland Community College - Southfield Campus

Wayne County Community College

MINNESOTAAnoka Technical College

Lake Superior College

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

Minnesota West Community and Technical College

Northland Community and Technical College

Rasmussen College - Brooklyn Park

Rasmussen College - Moorhead

Rasmussen College - Saint Cloud

6

Rochester Community & Technical College

Saint Cloud Technical College

MISSOURIColumbia Public Schools - Program of Surgical Technology

Franklin Technology Center at MSSU

Hillyard Technical Center

Lincoln University of Missouri

Metropolitan Community College - Penn Valley

Ozarks Technical Community College

Rolla Technical Center

Saint Louis Community College

South Central Career Center

Southeast Missouri Hospital - College of Nursing and Health Sciences

MISSISSIPPI East Central Community College

Hinds Community College

Holmes Community College

Itawamba Community College

Meridian Community College

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Pearl River Community College

Virginia College - Biloxi

Virginia College - Jackson

MONTANAFlathead Valley Community College

Great Falls College Montana State University

University of Montana

NORTH CAROLINAAsheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Blue Ridge Community College

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Cape Fear Community College

Carolinas College of Health Sciences

Catawba Valley Community College

Central Piedmont Community College

Coastal Carolina Community College

College of the Albemarle

Durham Technical Community College

Edgecombe Community College

Fayetteville Technical Community College

Foothills Surgical Technical Consortium - Cleveland Community College

Guilford Technical Community College

Lenoir Community College

Miller-Motte College - Cary

Miller-Motte College - Wilmington

Robeson Community College

Rockingham Community College

Sandhills Community College

South College

Wake Technical Community College

Wilson Technical Community College

NORTH DAKOTABismarck State College

NEBRASKA Concord Hospital

Great Bay Community College

Nebraska Methodist College

Southeast Community College

NEW JERSEYAtlantic Cape Community College

Bergen Community College

Berkeley College

Eastwick College

Sussex County Community College

NEW MEXICOBrown Mackie College - Albuquerque

Central New Mexico Community College

San Juan College

NEVADA College of Southern Nevada

Nevada Career Institute

NEW YORKBronx Lebanon Hospital Center

Finger Lakes Health College of Nursing

Kingsborough Community College

Long Island University

Nassau Community College

Niagara County Community College

NYU Langone Hospitals Center

Onondaga Community College

Swedish Institute

Trocaire College

Ulster County BOCES

Western Suffolk BOCES

OHIOBuckeye Hills Career Center

Central Ohio Technical College

Choffin Career and Technical Center

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Collins Career Center

Columbus State Community College

Cuyahoga Community College

EHOVE School of Surgical Technology

Fortis College - Columbus

Lakeland Community College

Lorain County Community College

Miami-Jacobs Career College

National College - Cincinnati

National College - Kettering

National College - Stow

National College - Youngstown

Owens State Community College

Scioto County Joint Vocational School

Sinclair Community College

University of Akron

University of Cincinnati- Clermont College

Washington County Career Center

OKLAHOMAAutry Technology Center

Brown Mackie College - Tulsa

Canadian Valley Technology Center

Central Technology Center

Cherokee Nation WW Hastings Hospital

Community Care College

Concorde Career Institute - Portland

Great Plains Technology Center

Indian Capital Technology Center

Metro Technology Centers

Moore Norman Technology Center

Mount Hood Community College

Platt College - Oklahoma City

Tulsa Technology Center

Wes Watkins Technology Center

PENNSYLVANIACommunity College of Allegheny County

Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital

Delaware County Community College

Great Lakes Institute of Technology

Harrisburg Area Community College - Harrisburg

7

Lackawanna College

Luzerne County Community College

McCann School of Business & Technology - Allentown

McCann School of Business & Technology - Carlisle

McCann School of Business & Technology - Hazelton

McCann School of Business & Technology - Sunbury

Montgomery County Community College

Mount Aloysius College

Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences

Pennsylvania College of Technology

Pittsburgh Technical Institute

Saint Luke’s Hospital

The Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences

RHODE ISLANDNew England Institute of Technology

SOUTH CAROLINAAiken Technical College

Central Carolina Technical College

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Greenville Technical College

Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Midlands Technical College

Miller-Motte Technical College - Charleston

Piedmont Technical College

Spartanburg Community College

Technical College of the Lowcountry

Tri-County Technical College

Virginia College - Charleston

Virginia College - Columbia

Virginia College - Greenville

York Technical College

SOUTH DAKOTAPresentation College

Southeast Technical Institute

Western Dakota Technical Institute

TENNESSEEChattanooga State Technical Community College

Concorde Career College - Memphis

Fortis College- Cookeville

Fortis Institute - Nashville

Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting

Miller-Motte Technical College - Chattanooga

Miller-Motte Technical College - Clarksville

Nashville State Community College

Northeast State Technical Community College

Tennessee College of Applied Technology -

Crossville

Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Hohenwald

Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Jackson

Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Knoxville

Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Murfreesboro

TEXAS Amarillo College

Angelina College

Austin Community College

Baptist Health System

Cisco College

Collin County Community College

Concorde Career College - Dallas

Concorde Career College - Grand Prairie

Concorde Career College - San Antonio

Covenant Health System - Lubbock

Del Mar College

El Centro College

El Paso Community College

Fortis Institute - Grand Prairie

Fortis Institute - Houston North

Houston Community College

Howard College - San Angelo

Kilgore College

Lamar State College - Port Arthur

Lone Star College - Tomball

McLennan Community College

Medical Education and Training Campus

North Central Texas College

Paris Junior College

Saint Philip’s College

San Jacinto College

South Plains College

Tarrant County College

Temple College

Texas State Technical College

The College of Health Care Professions - Houston Northwest

Trinity Valley Community College

Tyler Junior College

Vernon College

Virginia College - Austin

Wharton County Junior College

UTAHDavis Applied Technology College

Dixie State College

Salt Lake Community College

Stevens-Henager College

VIRGINIAAmerican National University - Danville

American National University- Harrisonburg

Eastern Virginia Medical School

Fortis College-Richmond

Jefferson College of Health Sciences

Lord Fairfax Community College

Miller-Motte Technical College - Lynchburg

Piedmont Virginia Community College

Riverside School of Health Careers

Sentara College of Health Sciences

WASHINGTON Bellingham Technical College

Clover Park Technical College

Columbia Basin Community College

Renton Technical College

Seattle Central Community College

Spokane Community College

Yakima Valley Community College

WISCONSINChippewa Valley Technical College

Gateway Technical College

Madison Area Technical College

Mid-State Technical College

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Moraine Park Technical College

Northcentral Technical College

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Waukesha County Technical College

Western Technical College

WEST VIRGINIACarver Career and Technical Education Center

James Rumsey Technical Institute

Monongalia County Technical Education Center

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College

West Virginia Northern Community College

West Virginia University at Parkersburg

WYOMINGLaramie County Community College

8

APRIL 2017

Katherine C. Rizzo ..................Choffin School of Surgical Tech, Youngstown, Ohio

Monica Marie Downing ........Delta College, University Center, Mich.

Samuel S. Stevens ..................Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, Penn.

Danielle Korzun .....................Monongalia Technical Education Center, Morgantown, W.V.

Joshua Scarcella .....................Monongalia Technical Education Center, Morgantown, W.V.

Diane Lee Hooper .................Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio

Aynur S. Tairova ....................Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio

Staci L. Wright .......................Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio

Crystal Fox ............................Southeast Community College, Lincoln, Neb.

Jennifer Kleinschmidt .............Southeast Community College, Lincoln, Neb.

Flor Pulido .............................Southeast Community College, Lincoln, Neb.

Trelby Virus ...........................Southeast Community College, Lincoln, Neb.

Kalie Bennett .........................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Nailah Gould .........................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Valencia Hajduk ....................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Megan Marie Hensley ...........Temple College, Temple, Texas

Victoria M. Pizano .................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Diana Priestly ........................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Deanna Sampson ..................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Heather Stockdale .................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Kristy Williams .......................Temple College, Temple, Texas

Jae Hope Bevan .....................Ulster Boces Adult Education, Port Ewen, N.Y.

Lea Byrne ..............................Ulster Boces Adult Education, Port Ewen, N.Y.

Alyssa Campbell ....................Ulster Boces Adult Education, Port Ewen, N.Y.

Victoria Kathryn O’Shea ........Ulster Boces Adult Education, Port Ewen, N.Y.

Dianna Belifore .......................Western Suffolk Boces, Northport, N.Y.

Sherrygay Swazey ..................Western Suffolk Boces, Northport, N.Y.

MARCH 2017

De’Amber Michelle Offord ....Concorde Career College, Dallas, Texas

Melissa Van Hecker ...............Concorde Career College, Dallas, Texas

Jacqueline Steeds ...................Fortis College, Nashville, Tenn.

Karen Delauder .....................Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Roanoke, Va.

Marilyn C. Shelor ..................Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Roanoke, Va.

2017 National Society InducteesCongratulations to these outstanding students!