ARC/STSA would like to congratulate the surgical technology programs that have recently received awards of initial and continuing accreditation. Please join us in acknowledging the dedication and hard work it took for these programs to reach these critical milestones. Congratulations!
The Accreditation Process
Programmatic accreditation is awarded by CAAHEP following review and recommendation by the Committee on Accreditation (CoA) – that’s us! As the CoA for the professions of surgical technology and surgical assisting, ARC/STSA conducts accreditation activities on behalf of CAAHEP and acts as a liaison between the educational programs and CAAHEP. ARC/STSA assigns site evaluators who represent both ARC/STSA and CAAHEP to conduct site visits; coordinates and schedules site visits, reviews the site evaluators’ report, and sends programs findings letters. ARC/STSA’s Board of Directors reviews all program applications and formulates accreditation recommendations to submit to CAAHEP. As outlined in CAAHEP’s Policies & Procedures, CoAs must utilize core elements in reviewing programs and formulating recommendations to CAAHEP in order to assure consistency in decision making and quality in the educational programs.
Source: CAAHEP.org
Surgical Technology Initial Accreditation Award:
Kona Community Hospital, Kealakekua, HI
Concorde Career College-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
Surgical Assisting Continuing Accreditation Award:
Delta College, University Center, MI
Surgical Technology Continuing Accreditation Award:
Arkansas State University-Newport, Newport, AR, including approved satellite in Marked Tree, AR
Lorenzo Walker Technical College, Naples, FL
Des Moines Area Community College-Urban Campus, Des Moines, IA
Rochester Community and Technical College, Rochester, MN
Western Nebraska Community College, Scottsbluff, NE
Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, Asheville, NC
Durham Technical Community College, Durham, NC
Canadian Valley Technology Center, Chickasha, OK, including approved satellite in Yukon, OK
Cherokee Nation Health Services-W.W. Hastings Hospital, Tahlequah, OK
Horry Georgetown Technical College, Conway, SC
Technical College of the Lowcountry, Beaufort, SC
Ronda Stormy Armstrong, Program Director of the surgical technology program at Kona Community Hospital, shared her thoughts on the accreditation process.
Living in Hawaii isn’t always sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets. It is a community with a work life balance that needs to be nurtured. With workforce shortages similar to those on the mainland and travelers difficult to secure in the Pacific Islands, we had a great need for Certified Surgical Technologists for our community hospital on the Big Island. As a CST with a passion for sharing my career with others, it just made sense to create an accredited program and educate members of our own community to address the need.
The entire hospital staff fully supported the request to sponsor a surgical technology program and built a mock operating room and a classroom. I was able to pursue my dream, combine my love of teaching and my love for being a Certified Surgical Technologist to build an accredited surgical technology program.
Accreditation was important not only to me, but to the students and the community. At times, I felt I bit off more than I could chew. I picked up the phone and called ARC/STSA. The staff made me feel at ease and I felt confident knowing I wasn’t in this alone; and that if I called, they could walk me through the next step and show me the way. The ARC/STSA team is very supportive, kept me on task and they cheered me on along the way, always preparing me for the next step and letting me know where I was in the accreditation process. My hospital also chose to use EdAccred services to mentor me, help me with the process, and teach me about accreditation and how to best manage a program. I feel it was money well spent, knowing someone was there for me and nothing important was being missed.
Our first cohort graduates in a few days. What a profound honor it was to share that they are graduating from a CAAHEP-accredited program. Together with our hospital team, students, and community, we accomplished our goal!
Our community support and involvement continues to grow. Our local bank is contributing to student tuition with a grant for $75,000! They believe in what we are doing– bringing exceptional patient care to our community, one surgical technologist at a time.
I feel extremely grateful for the guidance from ARC/STSA, to make it possible and have my dream come true.
Ronda Stormy Armstrong has been a CST for nearly 20 years. She found this career by accident. Working as a transporter for the X-ray department, she had to bring the C –Arm to the operating room. The doors opened and bam, she was hooked. After graduating in 2005, she worked as a tenured surgical technology instructor at Clover Park Technical College in Washington state until 2017, where she met many incredible mentors. She loves seeing the “light bulb moment” in her students’ eyes when they get it and it clicks.
She has served as past president and vice president of the Washington State Assembly of AST and currently serves on the board of directors for the Hawaii AST State Assembly. Stormy fulfills the “life” in her work-life balance exploring the island on her motorcycle, relaxing on the beach with her family, and swimming and bodyboarding.
