Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2007
Contact: Chuck Steenburgh / 540-769-8264
CSteenburgh@National-College.edu

National College’s Indianapolis Campus Receives Surgical Technology Accreditation
Graduates of new program now eligible to take certification exam

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Campus of National College (www.national-college.edu; 317-578-7353), located at 6060 Castleway West Drive, has received initial programmatic accreditation for its Surgical Technology Associate Degree program from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).  The decision to grant accreditation, which is valid for five years, was based on a recommendation of the Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology (ARC-ST) after a rigorous evaluation of the program.

“Programmatic accreditation for the Surgical Technology associate degree program at the Indianapolis Campus will allow our graduates to sit for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) examination,” said Paula Waltz, Director of Surgical Technology for the campus.  “The review and decision to award initial accreditation is an affirmation of the excellent work our dedicated faculty and staff have put into developing this new program.”

The Surgical Technology associate degree program enrolled its first students at the Indianapolis Campus in July of 2005.  To receive initial accreditation, the program must have a first graduating class.  The campus graduated its first class under the new program in February of 2007.

Surgical technologists are a vital part of the operating room team.  Students in National’s surgical technology program gain a thorough knowledge of the principles of patient preparation and care, surgical preparation and procedures, operative technique, use of surgical instruments and equipment, and principles of asepsis (sterilization). 

Current students expressed great satisfaction–but no surprise–at the news of the program’s accreditation.  “I really believed in my mind that it would happen; [the faculty & staff] all do a good job, and I just love the school,” said surgical technology student Christine Hume, currently in her last semester of classes.  “You can work as a surgical technologist without accreditation, but if it is [accredited] it opens doors to more opportunities.”

After completing all required coursework, students must complete a 10-week externship program at an area hospital.  “The Surgical Technology internship is very rigorous,” says Mandy Rich, Clinical Coordinator at the Indianapolis Campus.  “The students must ‘scrub’ a minimum of 125 surgical cases, in actual operating rooms with real patients.”  Graduates of the program agree.  “I went into the externship knowing I needed to get experience wherever I could,” says Talitha Webb, one of the program’s first graduates and currently a surgical technologist for Westview Hospital.

In addition to positions in hospitals, surgical technologists are employed at doctors’ offices, outpatient care centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and other facilities where surgeries are performed.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of surgical technologists is expected to grow much faster than average for all other occupations.  (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos106.htm)

Founded in 1886, National College is dedicated to the training and education of men and women for a full life and a successful career in a number of fields in business, computers, and health care. The College proudly offers more than 35 academic programs including a master of business administration, three bachelor’s degrees, and numerous associate degree and diploma programs. Serving 24 communities through campus locations in Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, the College enrolls more than 7,000 students.

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