Chapter 531, states that in order to register as a registered surgical assistant, the applicant must present satisfactory evidence that he holds a current credential as a surgical assistant or surgical first assistant.  This credential is to be issued by the following credentialing bodies:

The National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants

The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting

The National Surgical Assistant Association.

The surgical technologist is held to the same requirements and is credentialed by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.

If we are required to be certified by these credentialing bodies, to become registered, it should also be required that we maintain that certification in order to renew our registration.  The absence of this requirement, upon renewal, was noted in the Economic Impact Analysis by the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget.

To maintain our credentials of CSA (Certified Surgical Assistant), CSFA (Certified Surgical First Assistant), CST (Certified Surgical Technologist), we are required to maintain a certain amount of continuing education credits in a designated time frame, or we lose our credential.  Holding this credential ensures the patients that we take care of in the operating room, that we are current in our education and training and can offer them a higher standard of care.

Once we are recertified by our credentialing body, a certificate is issued to us and this could also be submitted to the Board of Medicine for the initial registration and future registration renewals, documenting that we are current with our credentialing bodies.  

Those who are not currently certified by a credentialing body, are being grandfathered to register by July 1, 2015.  It should be required that they become credentialed by one of the listed credentialing bodies, when it is time for them to apply for renewal.