Surgical Technology, AAS

Program Mission and Goals

Mission:

The Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology is dedicated to providing a well-rounded education, based on high standards, principles, and values.  The Surgical Technology Program promotes leadership, professionalism, and critical thinking skills while stimulating intellectual inquiry and creativity of students to their highest potential.  Our mission includes preparing graduates to enter the workforce as entry-level surgical technicians with the knowledge base and skills to productive health care professionals in a culturally diverse society by contributing to their profession and dedicating themselves to life-long learning.

Goals:

1. To prepare graduates to enter the workforce as entry-level surgical technologists who meet employer expectations with respect to their knowledge, skills, and behavior.
2. To provide students with the highest quality education through didactic, laboratory, and clinical instruction with emphasis on the psychomotor, affective, and cognitive learning domains.
3. To provide employers high knowledgeable entry-level surgical technologists who are able to adapt well in the working environment and prove themselves dependable, ethical, and competent.

Requirements for Admission to the Surgical Technology, AAS

Admission to the Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology Program is on a selective basis.  Selection recommendations are made by the Nursing and Allied Health Selection Committee to the Dean.  The number of students selected each year will depend on a number of factors, including accreditation standards mandated by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (CAAHEP), as well as financial, personnel, and other resources available to the Surgical Technology Program.  Students must meet the following minimum criteria to be considered eligible for selection into the AAS in Surgical Technology Program:

1. Be fully admitted as a student to LSU Eunice.
2. Submit to the Division of Health Sciences and  Business Technology a completed Surgical Technology Selection Application Form, required documents, and a $10 non-refundable application fee.  These materials must be revived no later than March 1st of the year for which selection is being sought.
3. Complete each pre-requisite course with a grade of C or better and have a pre-requisite cumulative, minimum GPA of 2.5.
4. Have an overall (cumulative) grade-point average of 2.0 or higher.
5. Be able to perform the physical and mental requirements of the discipline of Surgical Technology as identified in the Surgical Technology Student Handbook and the ADA requirements in the Student Orientation Manual.
6. Complete the TEAS admission exam.
7. Complete all of the prerequisite courses by the time of selection.

Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission into the AAS in Surgical Technology Program.  Eligible applicants will be considered on a competitive basis.

Selection into the AAS in Surgical Technology

Selection into the Surgical Technology Program

The Division of Health Sciences and Business Technology will admit classes into the Surgical Technology program in the fall semester of each year.  Selection decisions for the fall class are made at the end of the prior spring semester.  Courses taken during the spring semester will be considered during the selection process.  Selection decisions will normally be made and communicated to students by the second week of May.  Though students not selected may reapply for admission to a subsequent class, such students must complete the entire application process and will remain subject to the eligibility requirements specified above.

Criteria for Selection for the AAS in Surgical Technology

Criteria for Selection for the AAS in Surgical Technology Program

Required prerequisite courses taken during the spring semester are included in the selection process.  The following criteria are used in calculating the applicant’s ranking for selection:

1. Completion of 26 hours of pre-required courses with a grade-point average of 2.5 or higher.
2. Cumulative academic record and pre-requisite GPA.
3. Licensure/certification in a health-care profession or a previously earned degree.
4. The GPA in pre-requisite courses.
5. Number of pre-requisite courses repeated.
6. Entrance exam (TEAS) score.
7. Work history consisting of a full-year in a health-related or customer-service oriented field documented by submitting letter from direct supervisor on organization’s letterhead.

Upon selection into the AAS in Surgical Technology Program the student is required to fulfill the following:

1. Complete forms and submit fees for background investigations required by healthcare facilities.
2. Receive a negative drug screen report.
3. Submit all documents requested by the Surgical Technology Program by published deadlines. Failure to submit requested documents by due dates will prohibit continuance in the program.
4. Once selected and notified, the Program Director for Surgical Technology must be notified of the applicant’s commitment to accept or reject selection into the program.
5. Upon acceptance by the applicant to enter the Surgical Technology Program, the student accepts and agrees to abide by all published University, Division, and program policies regarding student conduct and academic standing.
6. Attend a mandatory program orientation approximately two weeks following selection, fourth week of May or first week of June.

Health information, background checks, initial drug screens and random drug screens will be managed by the student through a secure online information management service for a fee which will be paid by the student.  All health-related information, immunization records, TB testing report, and lab data must be recorded on official medical provider/company stationary.  Data submitted in any other format will be rejected.  All records are strictly confidential.

Retention/Progression Guidelines

Retention/Progression Guidelines

Acceptance into the Surgical Technology Program entitles the student to progress through the surgical technology curriculum along with the class to which the student is admitted.  In order for a student to be retained and progress in the curriculum, a student must:

1. Maintain an LSU and an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher.
2. Maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher in all required surgical technology courses.
3. Complete all surgical technology courses with a grade of “C” or better. The grading scale for all surgical technology courses is: A - 93-100; B - 85-92; C - 77-84; D - 65-76; F - below 65.
4. Maintain current CPR certification (CPR for Healthcare Providers) and annual TB testing.
5. Maintain health/immunization requirements.

Failure to successfully complete any surgical technology course, for either academic or other reasons, will require that the student apply for readmission to the Surgical Technology Program if the student wishes to continue in the program.  A student reinstated in the surgical technology program must begin and progress with the cohort at the time of readmission.  The student must re-enroll in the prerequisite and co-requisite surgical technology courses.  Re-enrolling in a course in which the student had previously received a passing grade will not be counted as repeated surgical technology course hours for the dismissal policy.  The most recent grade earned will be the grade for the course.  The purpose for requiring re-enrollment in the surgical technology courses is to assure that surgical technology students receive the most current health care information.

In addition to meeting all other specified curricular requirements, Surgical Technology students must (1) meet immunization and physical examination requirements, (2) maintain CPR Certification (CPR for Healthcare Providers) for the duration of the program, and (3) assume responsibility for providing their own transportation to and from clinical agencies.

Dismissal

Students may be dismissed from a surgical technology course and/or the AAS in Surgical Technology Program for any of the following reasons:

1. A deliberate attempt to cover up any error or negligent performance during clinical experiences.
2. Repetitive performance of unsafe behaviors during clinical or laboratory experiences.
3. Performance of unethical or illegal behaviors during clinical or laboratoryexperiences.
4. Failure to comply with University and/or clinical agency policies and regulations.
5. Breach of patient or agency confidentiality by inappropriate management of information in any form.
6. Cheating or plagiarism (See LSUE’s Code of Student Conduct located in the Student Handbook).
7. Violation of the LSUE Code of Student Conduct.
8. A positive report on any random drug screen (student is not eligible for reinstatement).
9. Requested dismissal from a clinical facility by clinical affiliate staff or LSUE faculty and staff.
10. Committing a breach in the Surgical Technology Program policy on the conduct of social media usage.
11. Earning a grade of “D”, “F”, “NC”, or “W” in a Surgical Technology course.
12. Failure to agree and abide by the Program’s Ethics Policy, Confidentiality Policy, and the Professional Conduct Policy.
13. Earning a grade of “F” on any end of the semester (final/post) skills check off in the laboratory and/or clinical courses in which the students’ performance of skills is evaluated by the Surgical Technology faculty.

The LSUE faculty reserves the right to recommend termination of a Surgical Technology student when health and/or personal conduct requires such action.   If the student challenges the panel’s decision of being terminated from the program, he or she may challenge due process at the Division level (Refer to the Grievance Policy).

Requirements for Readmission

A student whose enrollment is interrupted, either voluntarily or by compulsion, or who fails to earn a grade of “C” in a required surgical technology course may be considered for readmission to the Surgical Technology Program provided that the student is in good academic standing as defined in the “Campus Regulations” section of the LSUE catalog.  However, in no circumstances will a student be considered for readmission when the student has earned more than one “D”, “F”, or “W” in required surgical technology courses or if he or she was dismissed from a clinical setting.

Students wishing to re-enter the Surgical Technology Program must submit an application for reentry along with a written request to to the Division of Health Sciences and Business Technology by no later than April 30th.  A student will be considered for readmission only when there is clear evidence of his or her potential to complete the requirements of the surgical technology curriculum.  In reviewing such applications, special scrutiny will be given to (1) overall GPA, (2) previous performance in didactic and clinical Surgical Technology courses, and (3) grades earned in the behavioral, biological, and physical sciences.  Students with previous credit in required Surgical Technology courses who are readmitted into the AAS in Surgical Technology Program must have Surgical Technology skill performance validation prior to entering the semester of readmission.  The overall financial and personnel resources available to the surgical technology program will also be a consideration in readmission decisions.  Submitting an application for readmission does not guarantee acceptance into the Surgical Technology Program.

A student applying for reentry into the Surgical Technology program must apply within the next entering cohort.  If not accepted, the student may reapply once more (two (2) years from the first time the student enrolled in the course).  After two (2) attempts of reentry, the student will not be considered again for reentry into the surgical technology program or if the student does not reapply with in a two (2) year period after last enrollment.  Science and Math courses taken 7 years earlier must be repeated prior to reapplication.

Transfer Surgical Technology Students

Students who wish to transfer with surgical technology credits are subject to the “Requirements for Readmission”, “and “Retention/Progression Guidelines” specified above.  Prior surgical technology coursework may be evaluated for transferability on an individual basis.  Students requesting transfer into the Surgical Technology Program must:

1. Arrange a personal interview with the Surgical Technology Program Director.
2. Provide a transcript of all previous college work at the time of the interview.
3. Submit a course description and course content from completed surgical technology courses at the time of the interview.
4. Submit a Letter of Good Standing from prior Surgical Technology Program(s).  This letter from the administrative head of the prior program(s) should be mailed directly to the Surgical Technology Program Director to be received by the time of the interview.
5. Have earned a minimum grade of “C” in required surgical technology courses and have enrolled in surgical technology course(s) only once.
6. Have completed preferably, a minimum of 9 hours of required prerequisite science/math courses at LSUE.
7. Submit transcripts from all previously attended universities or colleges to the Office of Admissions for evaluation.  The applicant must be classified as fully admitted prior to selection to the Surgical Technology Program or the application is considered invalid.

Transfer students must meet the same criteria as all other students applying to the Program.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to fulfilling the “General Degree Requirements” specified in this catalog for all associate degree candidates, Surgical Technology students must complete all required Surgical Technology courses and general education courses with a grade of “C” or better. The last grade earned in a “repeated” course will be considered the grade of record for purposes of applying these requirements.

Graduates of the program are awarded the Degree of Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology. After successful completion of this curriculum, the graduate will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination in surgical technology administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.

Surgical Technology Program Curriculum