127 - Providing Surgical Technologists Continuing Education Credits Through In-service

Description: Description of Team:
This quality improvement initiative was led by a multidisciplinary team composed of operating room (OR) leadership, nurse educators, administrative assistant staff, and the nursing education coordinator. The team collaborated closely with perioperative stakeholders to develop a sustainable, scalable approach to support surgical technologists in meeting recertification requirements through in-service education.

Preparation and Planning:
The project was initiated following the results of an annual OR staff learning needs assessment, which revealed that 28% of Certified Surgical Technologists (CSTs) expressed difficulty accessing recertification-approved continuing education (CE) opportunities. Baseline data showed that only 5% of in-service sessions were CE-approved. In response, the team conducted a gap analysis and identified key contributing factors, including lack of awareness of CE standards and absence of a structured process for delivering eligible content. The team reviewed CE requirements from certifying bodies such as the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) and the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) and created a targeted strategy to integrate CE standards into existing in-service education.

Assessment:
An initial review of the OR in-service education schedule from the prior year established the baseline metric: an average of four CE-approved sessions annually, representing just 5% of all sessions. Additionally, informal feedback from CSTs indicated financial strain and role-specific dissatisfaction due to reliance on costly external CE programs. The team identified this as a critical workforce development and retention issue aligned with broader institutional priorities.

Implementation:
Interventions were piloted over a seven-month period (May to December 2024). These included the development of an OR In-Service Planning Grid to align education topics with CE criteria, standardization of attendance tracking for CE certificate issuance, and ongoing collaboration with certification bodies to ensure compliance. Sessions were tailored to CE education standards such as new surgical techniques, equipment, instrumentation and surgical procedures.

Outcome:
Post-intervention data showed a measurable increase in CE-approved in-service sessions, rising from 5% (4 sessions/year) to 19% (10 sessions in 6 months), surpassing the target of 14%. The initiative enhanced staff engagement, reduced reliance on external CE programs, and supported certification maintenance in a cost-effective and operationally seamless manner. CSTs reported increased satisfaction with the relevance and accessibility of CE education offerings.

Implications for Perioperative Nursing:
This project demonstrates how perioperative teams can close critical gaps in professional development through targeted, team-driven quality improvement. By embedding CE-approved content into existing in-service education structure, perioperative services can foster role-specific growth, support certification compliance, and improve workforce satisfaction and retention. The model developed through this initiative is both scalable and transferable, offering a framework that other surgical teams can adapt to meet evolving educational needs. Sustaining this intervention promotes excellence in perioperative practice, aligning staff development with patient safety and institutional quality goals.