CCI Blog

From directing staff to managing scheduling and budgets-- and coordinating the day-to-day-- managers of the OR directly impacting patient safety. With so many important responsibilities, there is no doubt that surgical service managers have play a vital role in the OR. But how does one become identified as a well-rounded and effective manager? One way is through certification, or in other words, by becoming CSSM-certified.

We know how daunting it may be when preparing for any certification exam-- there is so much to review and it is impossible to know exactly what questions will be on the test. How will you know where to begin? Well look no further, because CCI is here to help. We have created a list of the top 5 must-have resources to help you prepare to take the CSSM Exam.

Certification is defined as the process of providing an individual with an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement. Certification is used in the perioperative profession so nurses may demonstrate their mastery of knowledge in surgical nursing, and their ability to apply this knowledge to their clinical practice. With a goal to create a culture of patient safety and extraordinary care, certification benefits the entire healthcare community from the patient to the nurse to the facility. A 2017 TrueNorth Honorable Mention and this month's Hospital Highlight, Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital, is highly aware of these benefits and in return works hard to motivate nurses to become certified within the facility. 

This month we are very pleased to honor recently appointed CCI board president, Julia (Julie) Thompson, PhD, RN, CNS, CIP, CNOR, CNS-CP. A perioperative nurse for over 30 years and certified as a CNOR since 1990, Dr. Thompson has practiced as a staff nurse, manager, assistant director, educator, Clinical Nurse Specialist, consultant, and researcher in surgical services. Julie attributes her successful career to a strong foundation in the nursing process, a passion for continued learning, and an enthusiasm for patient safety and advocacy. 

CCI’s Certified Surgical Services Manager (CSSM) credential is designed to improve and validate the managerial knowledge and skills of perioperative leaders to advance the performance of their surgical services departments. Preparing to take any certification exam can be an intimidating task, but an entirely new credential? Where do you even begin?! Well to make sure you start off on the right foot, CCI wants to give you a few tips on what NOT to do when preparing for the CSSM Exam.

Did you know you wanted to be a perioperative nurse even before you entered the profession? David Irby sure did. From his first exposure to perioperative nursing at the young age of 16 as a Junior Volunteer, he found himself intrigued.  A few short years later, David gained more exposure to the OR through clinical rotations at the University of Virginia, and knew he had found his calling. By his senior year, David was eager to participate in a month-long Practicum in the area he was most interested in, and spent a month with one of his mentors in thoracic surgery.

The Certified Surgical Services Manager (CSSM) certification is for perioperative leaders interested in advancing the performance of their surgical services department by improving and validating their managerial knowledge and skills. CCI developed the CSSM credential to recognize the important role managers have in directing staff, programs and budgets in delivering safe patient care. The purpose of the CSSM certification is to provide recognition for the important and distinct role of surgical services managers. But why should you choose the CSSM credential? Aside from it being the only certification for surgical service managers, we have created this list of important reasons why the CSSM credential may be just right for you. 

In the suburbs of Reading, PA there is a small borough in Berks County that is home to around 10,000 residents known as Wyomissing, PA. While this quaint town has plenty of charm, we are particularly interested because it is the location of the Reading Hospital SurgiCenter at Spring Ridge, one of the 2017 TrueNorth Honorable Mentions and this month's Hospital Highlight. Highly committed to supporting nurses through the process of certification, this applicant caught CCI's attention with the policies, procedures, and practices in place. 

As you may know from this month's Hospital Highlight, VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHS) is a facility highly motivated and driven to work with certified nurses. In fact, since the activation of the facility in 2013, manager at VASNHS, has been pushing towards a goal of 100% staff certification. Understanding the challenge ahead of him, Mr. Gergory Clark, RN, MS, CNOR turned to one of the certified nurses on the team to act as a CNOR mentor of the facility to assist peers in earning certification. Today, perioperative nurse Ernest Macasieb, BSN, RN, CNOR, has been the CNOR mentor of VASNHS for two years, continuing the collective goal of 100% certified staff. It is no doubt that Ernest is a hardworking, dedicated, and extremely passionate nurse making him a perfect feature for this month's Nurse Spotlight.

Certification is a pretty broad term; however, few truly understand the importance of certification and how it can benefit them personally. The ultimate goal of the various perioperative certifications CCI offers is to create a culture of patient safety and extraordinary care. Seen as an asset to the field of nursing, certification benefits the entire healthcare community-- from the patient and the nurse to the employer and hospital administrator. But why should YOU become certified as a perioperative nurse? Well here are our top 10 reasons why...

1. You ❤️️ Your Patients

You are a caring nurse who truly wants to provide the best possible care for your patients. As mentioned, the primary goal of certification is to create a culture of patient safety and extraordinary care. By investing in certification, you are committing yourself to enhancing the quality of care you provide.