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New approval process for ORT educational programs
AORN educafion
New approval process for ORT educational programs The American Medical Association Council on Medical Education recently approved new criteria for accrediting operating room technician educational programs. All educational programs, including those previously approved by the Association of Operating Room Nurses, must be approved under the new process. The new criteria, "Essentials for an Approved Education Program for the Operating Room Technician," were developed b y the AORT Advisory Board in collaboration with the AMA. To have a program approved, self-study application forms should be requested from the AMA Department of Allied Medical Professions and Services, 535 North Dearborn St, Chicago, 111 60610. This application form should be filled out in triplicate and two copies returned to the Department of Allied Medical Professions and Services. The applications will be screened for completeness. If the educational program meets all the requirements of the "Essentials," the application form will be given to the Joint Review Committee on Education for the Operating Room Technician. This comrnittee, comprising one member from each or-
June 1973
ganization represented on the AORT Advisory Board, will make a preliminary evaluation based on the information submitted in the self-study application form. If information meets with approval, an on-site visit by a survey team will be made. All educational programs will receive a site visit from the survey team before they are accredited. The survey team i s appointed by the joint review committee and will probably consist of two members representing the four organizations on the Advisory Board(ACS, AHA, AORN and AORT). This does not limit other interested parties being present at the time of the site visit. As stated in the criteria for approval, "The survey team i s especially interested in stimulating and assisting with the improvement of educational effectiveness of the allied medical educational program, so they provide consultative assistance which enhances the approval process."' After completing the site visit, the survey team will prepare a report which i s submitted to the joint review committee fur review at its next scheduled meeting. A recommendation concerning approval will then
29
be made to the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Assodation. The Council reviews the recommendations and grants approval. Throughout the entire approval process meticulous attention is given to the confidentiality of all information. The adoption of the "Euentials" is an important advancement in the standardization of educutional programs for operating room technicians. For a number of ywrs, the Association of Operating Room Nurses has recognized the need for nonprofessional personnel to provide assistante in the operating room under the direct supervision of registered professional nu-. However, before the nonprofessional could be of valuable assistance to the nurse, it was mandatory that standardized education programs be established.
At the AORN Congress in 1966 in Chicago, the House of Delegates adopted a proposal to prepare and publish a manual for teaching technicians. The manual, Teaching the Operating Room Technician, was written and compiled by the technician manual committee of AORN. Members of this committee were Margaret Burns, RN, Helen Lundahl, RN, Virginia Rockwell, RN, and Janet Redgate, RN. The manual was published in 1967 by AORN. The distinct purpose of the manual was "to serve as a guide to establish a program for teaching the technics necessury for uniform and safe pmctice in the operating roorn.'Q It was also intended to provide the student with sufficient background for performance in the operating room. In 1968 the AORT Advisory Board was established with representatives from the Association of Operating Room Nurses, Association of Operating Room Technicians, American College of Surgeons and the American Hospital A d a t i o n . One of the purposes of the AORT Advisory Board was to grant approval to OR technician education programs. Becauw, of the complicated
process of evaluation, an AORN committee, ORT Program Evuluation, was set up to evaluate the programs. The Advisory Board in turn granted approval based on the committee's report. The AORN Evaluation Committee has put in many long hours evaluating programs and setting standards for technician education. As of January 1973, a total of 63 programs were approved. Because the American Medical Association's Council on Medial Education is interested in the allied heulth occupations, it worked in collaboration with the AORT Advisory Board to develop "Essentials for An Approved Education Program for the Operating Room Technician.'' These were accepted and by the House of Delegates of the AMA's Council on Medical Education in November 1972. They were published in the April iswe of the AORN lournal. These "EssentialsN represent the minimal requirements necessary for approval of any educational program. They are to be used as a guide by those who are developing educational programs for the operating room technician. They also serve as a check-list for self-evaluution and for site visits by survey teams. k is hoped that the "Essentials" will encourage creativity and innovation, thereby making it possible for new and better teaching techniques to be developed.
+
The joint review committee realizes that
this new approval process is going to make an additional burden for programs that were initially approved by AORN. When feasible those programs previously proved will receive priority by the joint review committee. Self-study application forms have already been sent to all those educational programs on the AORN a p proved list. The entire approval process is subject to continuing review and improvement. Suggestions are always welcome and may be &+o
30
34
AORN Journul
sent to any d the four ooHcrboraHng organih mh Of vlridw or ?bm Wmt Of Medid Professions and Services.
-v
mmt
0
Julie Kneedler, RN, MS Assistanf direcfor of education
REFERENCES I. Council on Modical Education, Amoriun Medial Association, A l l i d M e d i d EdecoHor, Dimfory (Chicago: Amorican Modiul h i a t i o n , ion), p 14.
2. Burns, M A: H M Lundahl: V 1 Roch*.ll: and T d J M Rodgat., Twching tho Opmting niciun (Englorood, Colo: h i a t i o n of Opuating RN ~ im), ~ p ~ vii. ,
Heul+h cureers finunclul informuflon published FIND, the Financial Information Notional Directory, has been published for students seeking financial assistonce in medical and allied health careers. The new directory lists more than 1,OOO sources of financial auishmce, according to the
AMA. The directory will be revised annually. State and metropolitan medical socities will receive a complimentary copy. Other medical socieh'es may receive copies on request. In addition to the directory, a computer search service will utilize an AMA computer bank that identifies all available funds by carow fields, geographic situations, minority assistance and other categories. There is no charge for the computer search service. The directory costs $2.95 per COPY.
The two part program was devebpd by the AMA with the cooperation of health professions organizaths, gwemmentul agencies, schools curd private organirotions with a m q o r interest in the medical field. Copies of "FIND-Financial Information National Director)./72 for Health Careers" can be obtained from FIND) AMA headquarters, 535 Dearborn St, Chicago, 111 60610.
Glucugor helps liver In tmuma and shock, liver circulation may decrease sharply, resulting in disturbed liver function. Two investigators from the University of Califomia Medical S c h d at Son Francisco, told the d i n i d congress of the Awtaican College of Surgeons that the hormone glucagon has proven to be useful in improving blood flow.
A single dow of glucagon given after 30 minutes of severe hemorrhagic shock inaearer total liver blood flow by 100 percent, Nils Darle, MD, and Robert C Lim, Jr, MD, FACS, reported. The m e dosage given after two hours of sevem hemorrhagic shack increases totd liver blood flow by up to 40 percent. "The effects of glwagon on total blood flow in hypovolemic shock Iuggertr its use as a liver 'proreaor' in shock patients," the authors said. I
34
AORN Journal
New approval process for ORT educational programs The American Medical Association Council on Medical Education recently approved new criteria for accrediting operating room technician educational programs. All educational programs, including those previously approved by the Association of Operating Room Nurses, must be approved under the new process. The new criteria, "Essentials for an Approved Education Program for the Operating Room Technician," were developed b y the AORT Advisory Board in collaboration with the AMA. To have a program approved, self-study application forms should be requested from the AMA Department of Allied Medical Professions and Services, 535 North Dearborn St, Chicago, 111 60610. This application form should be filled out in triplicate and two copies returned to the Department of Allied Medical Professions and Services. The applications will be screened for completeness. If the educational program meets all the requirements of the "Essentials," the application form will be given to the Joint Review Committee on Education for the Operating Room Technician. This comrnittee, comprising one member from each or-
June 1973
ganization represented on the AORT Advisory Board, will make a preliminary evaluation based on the information submitted in the self-study application form. If information meets with approval, an on-site visit by a survey team will be made. All educational programs will receive a site visit from the survey team before they are accredited. The survey team i s appointed by the joint review committee and will probably consist of two members representing the four organizations on the Advisory Board(ACS, AHA, AORN and AORT). This does not limit other interested parties being present at the time of the site visit. As stated in the criteria for approval, "The survey team i s especially interested in stimulating and assisting with the improvement of educational effectiveness of the allied medical educational program, so they provide consultative assistance which enhances the approval process."' After completing the site visit, the survey team will prepare a report which i s submitted to the joint review committee fur review at its next scheduled meeting. A recommendation concerning approval will then
29
be made to the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Assodation. The Council reviews the recommendations and grants approval. Throughout the entire approval process meticulous attention is given to the confidentiality of all information. The adoption of the "Euentials" is an important advancement in the standardization of educutional programs for operating room technicians. For a number of ywrs, the Association of Operating Room Nurses has recognized the need for nonprofessional personnel to provide assistante in the operating room under the direct supervision of registered professional nu-. However, before the nonprofessional could be of valuable assistance to the nurse, it was mandatory that standardized education programs be established.
At the AORN Congress in 1966 in Chicago, the House of Delegates adopted a proposal to prepare and publish a manual for teaching technicians. The manual, Teaching the Operating Room Technician, was written and compiled by the technician manual committee of AORN. Members of this committee were Margaret Burns, RN, Helen Lundahl, RN, Virginia Rockwell, RN, and Janet Redgate, RN. The manual was published in 1967 by AORN. The distinct purpose of the manual was "to serve as a guide to establish a program for teaching the technics necessury for uniform and safe pmctice in the operating roorn.'Q It was also intended to provide the student with sufficient background for performance in the operating room. In 1968 the AORT Advisory Board was established with representatives from the Association of Operating Room Nurses, Association of Operating Room Technicians, American College of Surgeons and the American Hospital A d a t i o n . One of the purposes of the AORT Advisory Board was to grant approval to OR technician education programs. Becauw, of the complicated
process of evaluation, an AORN committee, ORT Program Evuluation, was set up to evaluate the programs. The Advisory Board in turn granted approval based on the committee's report. The AORN Evaluation Committee has put in many long hours evaluating programs and setting standards for technician education. As of January 1973, a total of 63 programs were approved. Because the American Medical Association's Council on Medial Education is interested in the allied heulth occupations, it worked in collaboration with the AORT Advisory Board to develop "Essentials for An Approved Education Program for the Operating Room Technician.'' These were accepted and by the House of Delegates of the AMA's Council on Medical Education in November 1972. They were published in the April iswe of the AORN lournal. These "EssentialsN represent the minimal requirements necessary for approval of any educational program. They are to be used as a guide by those who are developing educational programs for the operating room technician. They also serve as a check-list for self-evaluution and for site visits by survey teams. k is hoped that the "Essentials" will encourage creativity and innovation, thereby making it possible for new and better teaching techniques to be developed.
+
The joint review committee realizes that
this new approval process is going to make an additional burden for programs that were initially approved by AORN. When feasible those programs previously proved will receive priority by the joint review committee. Self-study application forms have already been sent to all those educational programs on the AORN a p proved list. The entire approval process is subject to continuing review and improvement. Suggestions are always welcome and may be &+o
30
34
AORN Journul
sent to any d the four ooHcrboraHng organih mh Of vlridw or ?bm Wmt Of Medid Professions and Services.
-v
mmt
0
Julie Kneedler, RN, MS Assistanf direcfor of education
REFERENCES I. Council on Modical Education, Amoriun Medial Association, A l l i d M e d i d EdecoHor, Dimfory (Chicago: Amorican Modiul h i a t i o n , ion), p 14.
2. Burns, M A: H M Lundahl: V 1 Roch*.ll: and T d J M Rodgat., Twching tho Opmting niciun (Englorood, Colo: h i a t i o n of Opuating RN ~ im), ~ p ~ vii. ,
Heul+h cureers finunclul informuflon published FIND, the Financial Information Notional Directory, has been published for students seeking financial assistonce in medical and allied health careers. The new directory lists more than 1,OOO sources of financial auishmce, according to the
AMA. The directory will be revised annually. State and metropolitan medical socities will receive a complimentary copy. Other medical socieh'es may receive copies on request. In addition to the directory, a computer search service will utilize an AMA computer bank that identifies all available funds by carow fields, geographic situations, minority assistance and other categories. There is no charge for the computer search service. The directory costs $2.95 per COPY.
The two part program was devebpd by the AMA with the cooperation of health professions organizaths, gwemmentul agencies, schools curd private organirotions with a m q o r interest in the medical field. Copies of "FIND-Financial Information National Director)./72 for Health Careers" can be obtained from FIND) AMA headquarters, 535 Dearborn St, Chicago, 111 60610.
Glucugor helps liver In tmuma and shock, liver circulation may decrease sharply, resulting in disturbed liver function. Two investigators from the University of Califomia Medical S c h d at Son Francisco, told the d i n i d congress of the Awtaican College of Surgeons that the hormone glucagon has proven to be useful in improving blood flow.
A single dow of glucagon given after 30 minutes of severe hemorrhagic shock inaearer total liver blood flow by 100 percent, Nils Darle, MD, and Robert C Lim, Jr, MD, FACS, reported. The m e dosage given after two hours of sevem hemorrhagic shack increases totd liver blood flow by up to 40 percent. "The effects of glwagon on total blood flow in hypovolemic shock Iuggertr its use as a liver 'proreaor' in shock patients," the authors said. I
34
AORN Journal