Click on the LINK to download the NSW Operating Theatre Association Education Events Disclaimer Policy.

To download the guidelines, click on the title below.

Education Guidelines

The following guidelines have been developed and approved by the NSW OTA Inc.
Executive Committee as providers of professional educational activities for our members. They are designed to assist the committees of all NSW OTA zones to deliver professional educational activities that aid in promoting lifelong learning, assist members to work toward obtaining Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours towards their National Registration as per the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, Continuing professional development registration standard. These guidelines shall be reviewed Bi-annually by the NSW OTA Executive Committee.

Criteria

1. The educational activity is delivered in a professional manner, which shall include aims and expected outcomes of the activity, relevant to our area of practice. The NSW OTA Inc logo, length of time, cost, contact persons and any sponsorship provided shall be acknowledged on all promotional and advertising material for Professional Education days (PED) and the Annual Conference.
    
2. All presenters are, or have recently been, working within their area of expertise and their profile shall be provided and supplied to delegates. At Annual Conferences a brief overview of the topic including the profile shall be included in delegate programs where possible. Activities should be appropriate for the greater membership while also providing information on new or updated health care regulations, techniques, technologies or products.
    
3. A record of attendance stating the Continuing Professional Development hours is provided to delegates. The points awarded are for the educational sessions only and do not include time for meal breaks, trade displays or networking. These points shall be approved by the Education and Research or the appropriate Zone executive team prior to the session. The NSW OTA Inc. logo, event date, the topics presented and the CPD hours shall be included on the certificate.
    
4. Formal evaluation and data collation processes shall be available to establish areas for improvement and future educational topics. Discussions at the NSW OTA Inc. Planning weekend shall provide a guide to the information that should be collected in this evaluation process. These shall be discussed at an Executive Committee or Zone committee meeting following the educational activity and tabled in the minutes, thereby providing evidence of response to evaluation outcomes.
    
5. The venue shall be appropriate for the activity, and able to accommodate an adequate number of members, based on data collected. Records of numbers of delegates should include those requesting attendance, who cannot be accommodated, this data shall provide evidence for future planning. The venue should be covered by indemnity insurance and meet relevant WorkHealth and Safety (WHS) standards. 
    
6. NSW OTA Inc. members fees are less than that of non-members and those who join at the time of registration shall be charged as a member. The delegate registration documentation shall provide details of inclusions and exclusions within the cost structure for all events. Costing for education sessions, including speaker payment shall be discussed and decided at an Executive, Zone or Conference Committee meeting prior to the event. Presenters do not pay registration fees for the day of their presentation.

Approved: by the NSW OTA Executive Committee September 2012

International Council of Nurses Toolkit 2021

The International Council of Nurses has produced the following Toolkit

Nurses: A Voice to Lead A Vision for Future Healthcare 
International Nurses Day 2021 Resources and Evidence

Please download it from here: ICN Toolkit 2021

Transition to Perioperative Practice Program

The NSW OTA is pleased to announce the new NSW Health “Transition to Perioperative
Practice” Program (T2PP) has been distributed to NSW Health operating theatres.
In 2015, the NSW OTA held discussions with NSW Health on providing an educational resource
for NSW perioperative nurses for consistency across all facility types, based on contemporary
evidenced based information and learning materials.
The Program was developed by Project Officers (with Deb Burrows as the Lead) and a perioperative reference group was formed during 2016-2017 that included Clinical Nurse Consultants, Nurse Educators, Nurse Managers, and Nursing Unit Managers from across NSW Health.

The T2PP program provides a foundation level of knowledge and skills for nurses new to the perioperative environment. It utilises a standardised yet flexible approach, including resources, case studies, learning opportunities, peer support and clinical skills assessments to be undertaken on the job.

The key objectives of the program are to:

• Develop the confidence and competence of the perioperative nurse within a supportive clinical setting to provide quality patient care
• Collaborate with all members of the healthcare team to develop an educationally supportive culture
• Provide the novice perioperative nurse with a comprehensive but flexible program that supports transition to advanced beginner
• Provide varied learning opportunities during which the participant can assess, share and validate knowledge
• Develop communities of practice that are reflective, responsive and value critical thinking 

The T2PP is presented in 3 manuals

1. Participants Resource Manual
2. Facilitators Manual
3. Clinical skills and performance assessments

The NSW OTA is proud to have been instrumental in the concept of this Transition to Perioperative Practice program and thank NSW Health for their support and recognition of our speciality, Perioperative Nursing.