Continuing Education

CEU POLICY

The Continuing Education Policies for the CSA is provided for CSAs participating in Continuing Education Units (CEU). CSAs must adhere to these high standards, established by the profession to ensure the ongoing educational development of individual practitioners and to demonstrate to the public the profession's commitment to providing the highest level of quality surgical patient care. The National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA) is recognized by the National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants (NCCSA) as the responsible authority for the approval of CEU programs for the CSA, including responsibility for CEU credit processing and maintenance, which is subject to NCCSA audit or verification.

The NCCSA is the responsible authority for all aspects of the certification process including examination eligibility criteria, examination fees, renewal requirements and renewal fees. The NSAA and the NCCSA work collaboratively on the development of the Continuing Education Policies for the CSA.

CEU PROGRAMS & ENDURING MATERIAL

CEU PROGRAMS

A CEU program is defined as a live program including but not limited to health care facility sponsored in-service, conference, seminar, symposium or workshop in which the CSA attends CEU lectures.

ENDURING MATERIAL

Enduring material is non-live and includes but is not limited to hard-copy or electronically delivered CEU articles that have a post-article CEU exam; online health care facility tests; online CEU lectures, or any electronic means that has post-article CEU exams.

CSA RESPONSIBILITIES

SUBMITTING YOUR CEU CREDITS TO NSAA

You must include verifying documentation of all CEU credits reported (e.g., certificate of completion, attendance verification forms). All documentation should be scanned and sent as an E-mail attachment to NSAA.

FEES

If you are a member in good standing with NSAA, there are no fees associated with CEU processing and recertification.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If NSAA membership lapses for more than 60 days the CEU credits earned while a member will be maintained and recorded by NSAA; however, CEU credits earned as a non-member are subject to a non-member processing fee when submitted to NSAA.

Starting January 1, 2025, all Certified Members are required to submit the necessary CEU documentation no later than 30 days prior to their certification renewal due date. This deadline is established to ensure adequate processing time and to prevent any disruption in your certification status. Any CEU documentation submitted within 30 days prior to your certification renewal due date will be classified as a late submission. A late fee of $50.00 will be imposed for submissions received during this period. All CEU submissions past the expiration date will require a recertification fee of $100 on top of the $50 late fee for CEU processing. Certified Members will receive notification of assessed late fees via email.

Members can carry over up to 15 CEUs into their next recertification cycle, but live event CEUs may not be carried over.

Click Here to view the entire CEU Policy Document.

If your CSA expiration date is on or before 6/1/21, you will follow the old CEU policy of 50 CEUs every 2 years. If your CSA expiration date is on or after 6/1/21, you will follow the new CEU policy of 38 CEUs every 2 years with 8 of those coming from a live event.

BLS renewal through the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross will be awarded 2 live CEUs and 3 regular CEUs. ACLS renewal through the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross in-person will be awarded 6 live CEUs and ACLS renewal online will be awarded 2 regular CEUs.

CONTINUING EDUCATION RESOURCES

NSAA does not endorse any of the above links. We post them for your information only. Online certifications are relatively new to the medical community despite the continued successes of online courses offered through Universities and Colleges. The ALSCP's BLS certification course is created in accordance with AHA guidelines and whereas final approval is up to your employer or Medical Staff office.