ITEM 108-2851-R0900 ATTACHMENT
SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM PROPOSAL
Montana State University College of Technology-Great Falls
OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Brief
Description of the Program
Relationship
to the Mission of MSU College of Technology-Great Falls
Need
for the Program
Students
Served by the Program
Advisory
Committee
Impact
on MSU College of Technology-Great Falls
Impact
on Other Programs in Montana
Accreditation
RESOURCES FOR THE PROGRAM
Implementation
Plan
Faculty
Facilities
Enrollment
Projections
Resources
CURRICULUM
Program
Outcomes
Curriculum
Design
Course
Descriptions
GENERAL INFORMATION
Proposed
Program Title: Surgical
Technology
Proposed
Award: Certificate
Credit
Hours: 51
Implementation
Date: Spring
Semester 2001
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Brief
Description of the Proposal
The
proposed Surgical Technology Program prepares persons for employment as
surgical technologists through a 51-credit program delivered in a manner to accommodate
the working student who seeks a career change/upgrade. Students who successfully complete the
program will be awarded a certificate of completion and encouraged to take the
national examination to become certified for practice. Continued efforts in program development
will focus on articulation of the Certificate Program to an Associate of
Applied Science degree. The proposed
program has been developed in response to requests from health care providers
to meet the need for surgical technologists in central and eastern
Montana.
Relationship to the Mission of MSU College of Technology-Great
Falls
As
a two-year public institution, Montana State University College of
Technology-Great Falls has a dual mission:
1) Its traditional mission of providing
technical education to prepare individuals for direct employment, and
2) Its modern mission of providing general
education courses and degrees which may be transferred to a four-year degree
program.
The
proposed program is fully consistent with the College's traditional mission,
preparing students for direct employment as surgical technologists. The program
is particularly appropriate for Montana State University College of
Technology-Great Falls because of the College=s extensive programming in allied
health fields. Finally, the College is
committed to a high level of responsiveness in providing a quality workforce to
meet regional labor market needs. It
was in response to the urgent need for surgical technologists expressed by
health care providers in and beyond Great Falls that the College developed this
proposal.
Need for the Program
In
February 2000, two health care professionals from Benefis Healthcare in Great
Falls approached the College to request that a surgical technology program be
initiated in Great Falls. With their assistance, an advisory committee
comprised of other health care professionals, primarily from Great Falls, was
assembled. All members concurred that
the need for surgical technologists in central and eastern Montana was significant. Wishing to document that need, they
solicited letters of support for a program in Great Falls from other health
care providers. For its part, the
College engaged in a more formal needs assessment, surveying health care
providers in the region. Responses
indicate strong support and a significant need for a surgical technology
program in Great Falls.
Students Served by the Program
In
addition to responding to the needs of health care providers in the region, the
proposed Surgical Technology Program has been designed to serve a population of
students currently underserved by the College's programming. For instance, although Montana State
University College of Technology-Great Falls offers ten programs through its
Allied Health Department, only one of them is a certificate program. The others award Associate of Applied
Science degrees, which require more course work than certificate programs,
particularly prerequisite course work in general education. Pursuing the AAS degree requires a greater
investment of time and finances than some students are able to make. This proposal for a certificate program in
Surgical Technology serves those students who are unable to persist in the AAS
programs.
Also,
the curriculum of the proposed program will be delivered to accommodate the
working student who seeks a career change or enhancement. The first 20 credits of course work in the
program will be offered in the evenings or through distance-delivery to allow
students with full-time jobs the opportunity to take steps toward new
employment without immediately abandoning their current employment. The success of the College's other evening
and distance-delivered offerings suggests a demand for an allied health program
delivered in this manner.
Advisory Committee
An
advisory committee has been established to provide input on program development
and implementation. Members of the
Surgical Technology Advisory Committee include:
David
Kelso, Director of Surgery, Benefis Healthcare (Great Falls)
Pat
Whittier, PeriOperative Education, Benefist Healthcare (Great Falls)
Kathleen
Zandt, Operating Room Director, St. Peter=s Hospital (Helena)
Jack
King, Benefis Foundation (Great Falls)
Peggy
Scheshy, Surgery Center Manager, Great Falls Clinic (Great Falls)
Aida
Buer, Allied Health Department Chair, MSU College of Technology -Great Falls
If
authorized, the Surgical Technology Program will be incorporated in the
College's
Allied Health Department, where it will join ten other allied health programs
currently offered by the College. The
incorporation of this new program will have no negative impact on the College's
current programs and/or degrees. In
fact, course work in the program will be offered primarily at night and on
weekends to accommodate working adults, to maximize the efficient use of
existing facilities and equipment, and to mitigate any potential competition
for enrollment in existing allied health programs.
Impact on Other Programs in Montana
A
Surgical Technology Program is currently offered at The University of
Montana-Missoula College of Technology.
However, as that College's catalog avers, demand for the program is so
high that there are waiting lists for admission. Further, employers of surgical technologists report that
graduates of The University of Montana-Missoula College of Technology program
tend not to seek employment on the east side of the Continental Divide,
resulting in the severe shortage of surgical technologists documented in the
Montana State University College of Technology-Great Falls' recently conducted needs assessment.
To
ensure coordination and cooperation within the Montana University System, the
chief academic officer at MSU College of Technology-Great Falls has
communicated with her counterparts in Missoula at various stages of program
development. Those communications have
been cordial and supportive. To
facilitate the transferability of Great Falls course work to Missoula, in the
event that a Great Falls student relocates to Missoula before program
completion, common course numbering and a similar curriculum has been
proposed. In the future, MSU College of
Technology-Great Falls hopes to expand the Surgical Technology program to
include an option for the Associate of Applied Science degree.
Accreditation
The
College will seek accreditation of the Surgical Technology Program by the
Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. The program will also be subject to review
by Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges and internal review as part of
its program review cycle.
RESOURCES FOR THE PROGRAM
Implementation Plan
If
authorized to implement the Surgical Technology Program, MSU College of Technology-Great
Falls will offer the first semester of course work beginning in Spring
Semester, 2001. At that time, the
College will also retain a part-time faculty member to direct the program
through the accreditation process and to assist in program development and
arrangements for clinical experiences.
By Fall Semester, 2001, the faculty position will become full-time as
the program director takes on the instructional duties in the technical portion
of the program. At the end of Spring
Semester, 2002, the first certificates of completion in Surgical Technology
will be awarded to graduates of the program.
Faculty
Of
the 51 credits required for the certificate in Surgical Technology, 20 credits
of course work will be taught by current faculty at the College who already
deliver instruction in these courses to students in other allied health
programs. The remaining course work
will be the instructional assignment of the program director, who will be
retained as a full-time faculty member no later than Fall 2001. As the program grows, retaining additional
adjunct faculty may be warranted.
Facilities/Support
No
additional expenditures will be required for space and capital structures. Because the program will feature evening and
electronic delivery, existing facilities at the College will meet the
facilities requirements for the didactic portion of the program. Benefis Healthcare in Great Falls has
offered the use of its facilities and equipment for the laboratory and clinical
experiences required by the program.
Academic
and other support services - e.g., library, computer labs, tutoring, counseling
- are already available at the College to support and promote learning in all
the College's programs. No significant
increase in expenditures in these areas will be necessary for the
implementation of the Surgical Technology Program.
Enrollment Projections
The
College projects that 15 students will enroll in the first year of the program,
and 20 will enroll in the ensuing years.
Resources
Because
the proposed Surgical Technology Program has been designed and will be
delivered in ways that maximize the efficient use of the College's existing
resources, the fiscal impact of adding this new program is minimal. The only major additional expense accrues
from the addition of one part-time faculty position in Spring 2001, becoming
full-time in Fall 2001.
The
College will re-allocate existing fiscal resources to support the program.
CURRICULUM
Program Outcomes
Surgical
technologists serve as the sterile member of the surgical team, preparing the
patient for surgery, placing equipment and supplies in the operating room,
arranging instruments
under the direction of a nurse, maintaining the specified supply of fluids for
use during the operation, adjusting lights and equipment, handing instruments
and supplies to the surgeon, counting materials and supplies used during the
operation, and cleaning the operating room.
The curriculum of the proposed Surgical Technology Program has been
designed to ensure that graduates of the program can perform these tasks.
Curriculum Design
Spring Semester
|
Course No. |
Title |
Credits |
|
AH 140 |
Pharmacology |
2 |
|
COMM 135 |
Interpersonal Communication |
3
* |
|
CS
110 |
Introduction
to Computers |
3 * |
|
MATH
161 |
Math
For Health Science |
4
* |
|
|
|
12 |
Summer
Semester
|
Course No. |
Title |
Credits |
|
|
AH 101 |
Healthcare Delivery in the US |
2 |
WEB Option |
|
AH
145 |
Introduction
to Medical Terminology |
1 |
WEB
Option |
|
BIO
105-6 |
Fundamentals
of Human Biology w/Lab |
4
* |
WEB
Option |
|
|
|
7 |
|
Fall Semester
|
Course No. |
Title |
Credits |
|
AH 194 |
Basic Pharmaceuticals |
1 |
|
SURG
102 |
Safe
Patient Care & Operating Room Tech. |
5 |
|
SURG 104 |
Surgical Technology Laboratory |
3 |
|
SURG 105 |
Minor Surgical Procedures |
4 |
|
SURG
192 |
Surgical
Technology Lab Practicum |
4 |
|
|
|
17 |
Spring
Semester
Course
No.
|
Title
|
Credits
|
|
SURG 106 |
Major Surgical Procedures |
5 |
|
SURG 193 |
Surgical Technology Lab Practicum II |
5 |
|
SURG
194 |
Internship |
5 |
|
|
|
15 |
* Related instruction courses
Course Descriptions
AH 101 HEALTHCARE
DELIVERY IN THE US Credits: 2
This
introductory course acquaints students with an overall view of the healthcare
system. Topics include organization,
financing, and delivery of healthcare through various types of facilities,
agencies, health organizations, and hospitals.
Medical ethics, professional behavior, and patient rights are also covered.
AH 140 PHARMACOLOGY Credits: 2
Prerequisite: Successful completion of
prerequisite course for specific programs, or faculty approval
Students
are prepared to safely administer medications.
General principles of medication administration, terminology, drug
regulation, standard references and legal responsibilities are included as well
as major drug classifications and therapeutic implications.
AH 145 INTRODUCTION
TO MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Credits:
1
This
course, offered via the Internet, promotes knowledge of the elements of medical
terminology for professional and personal development. Exercises in each unit will stress
definitions, spelling, and pronunciation of medical words. The course is designed to build an understanding
of the logical method used to form medical terms, including word analysis and
word building.
AH 194 BASIC
PHARMACEUTICALS Credits: 1
This
course provides basic knowledge of the most commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals
needed to analyze health care information for various allied health support
functions. Emphasis is on
classification, indications, therapeutic effects, side effects, interactions,
and contradictions of new, current, and newly introduced applications of
existing medications.
BIO 105N FUNDAMENTALS
OF HUMAN BIOLOGY Credits: 3
This
course introduces students to the structure and function of the human
body. Topics such as the fundamental
principles in organic and inorganic chemistry, cellular metabolism, cellular
anatomy, cellular biology and histology will be covered and subsequently
applied to the physiology of the body as a whole. Systems to be covered in this course include integumentary,
digestive, circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, nervous, sensory, musculoskeletal,
endocrine, and reproductive. This
course is designed for non-science majors.
BIO 106N FUNDAMENTALS
OF HUMAN BIOLOGY LAB Credits: 1
Laboratory
experience for BIO 105 including experimentation, microscope work,
observations, and dissection.
COMM
135 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS Credits: 3
This course is
designed to show some of the difficulties presented by language and
understanding. The course is concerned
with better understanding of ourselves and our semantic and interpersonal environments. It attempts to develop meaningful,
effective, and sensitive means of relating to others. Varied group experiences and oral presentations provide students
the opportunity to explore current topics.
CS 110 INTRODUCTION
TO COMPUTERS Credits: 3
This
course introduces students to the concepts and terminology of computer systems
and related technology and their impact on individuals and society through
lecture and lab format. Hands-on
overview using popular microcomputer software provides experience with
computers.
MATH 161 MATH
FOR HEALTH SCIENCE Credits: 4
Prerequisite: A grade of "B" or better in MATH 101 or
qualifying admission assessment score within the past 12 months
This
course prepares allied health students for the mathematics required in their
profession. Topics investigated
include: inductive reasoning; logic;
mathematical number systems; linear, quadratic, exponential, and logarithmic
functions; graphing; probability; statistics; English, apothecary and metric
systems and conversions; dosage calculations; and dimensional analysis. Utilizing these areas, the course also
provides students with clinical applications.
SURG 102 SAFE
PATIENT CARE & OPERATING ROOM TECHNIQUES Credits: 5
Co-requisite: SURG 104
This
course prepares students for the scrub and circulator roles of surgical
technology, emphasizing the competencies involved, as well as the
responsibilities of the surgical technologist.
SURG 104 SURGICAL
TECHNOLOGY LAB Credits: 3
An
introduction to the physical organization of the surgical suite, including
observation of surgical procedures and demonstrations of operating room
techniques.
SURG 105 MINOR SURGICAL PROCEDURES Credits: 4
This
course familiarizes students with the surgical technologist's role during minor
surgical procedures in the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative
stages.
SURG 106 MAJOR
SURGICAL PROCEDURES Credits: 5
This
course familiarizes students with the surgical technologist's role during major
surgical procedures in the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative
stages.
SURG 192 SURGICAL
TECHNOLOGY LAB PRACTICUM I Credits: 4
Prerequisite: SURG 102, SURG 104
Co-requisite: SUR 105
A supervised
clinical experience in surgical settings providing scrub experience on minor
surgical procedures.
SURG 193 SURGICAL
TECHNOLOGY LAB PRACTICUM II Credits: 5
Prerequisite: SURG 192
Co-requisite: SUR 106
A
supervised clinical experience in surgical settings providing scrub experience
on major surgical procedures.
SURG 194 INTERNSHIP Credits: 5
The
internship develops the students' competencies as first scrub on minor and
major procedures and acquaints them with the professional expectations of surgical
technologists as a capstone experience preparing them for initial employment.