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From the Editor
Robotics-assisted surgery is showing up everywhere these
days--on the news, maybe in your institution, and even on TV dramas like ABC's Grey's
Anatomy.
Unlike industries in which robots pose a threat to
employment, robotics-assisted surgery doesn't necessarily reduce the number of
personnel involved in a surgery--good news for
RNFAs--but it can often reduce the invasiveness, risk and recovery time
involved in many different procedures.
Read on for a few news stories about robotics-assist ed
surgery. And in this month's student spotlight, NIFA graduate Angela Uhler
talks about how her institution's commitment to robotics is giving her new and
fascinating work opportunities.
Julie Lancaster, Editor
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Robotics-Assisted Surgery in the News
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This week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an
approach developed by surgeons at the University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine using the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Inc.,
Sunnyvale, CA) for certain TransOral otolaryngologic surgical
procedures; click to read the Science Daily report.
In December, the Independent online reported on joint surgery
successes in Great Britain.
Also last month, the Science Daily announced a 3-D computerized modeling approach developed by a French team that will
allow a robotic arm to adjust to heart and chest movement during surgery, allowing
a surgeon to perform a procedure on a beating heart as if it were stationary. |
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Student in the Spotlight
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 Name: Angela L.
Uhler
Credentials: RN,
BSN, CNOR
City and State:
York, PA
Current Job: Clinical
Nurse Operating Room, Wellspan Health-York Hospital
Student Status: About
halfway through clinical hours
Career Path: I grew
up in York, PA, then went to Harrisburg Area Community College for my Associates in
Nursing in 2000, and York College of PA for my BSN in 2003. I am attending Drexel
University for my MSN in Educator track, and will graduate in 2011.
I started in the Operating Room by chance--I really knew
nothing about it. I never thought I would like this type of nursing and eight
years later, I love it! About three years ago, I decided to approach my nurse
manager to apply for RNFA. I was thinking of changing my major to Nurse
Practitioner and thought the RNFA would be a great asset. Currently, we have NPs who work alongside the resident program. They round, admit/discharge and
assist in the OR.
When I did my training last July, it also was around the
same time that a robotics program was just starting to emerge at our
institution. My training through NIFA helped me to become the primary RNFA for
the da Vinci robotics program at York Hospital. I was able to attend "wet
labs" with these surgeons and practice on pigs prior to our first case.
It's amazing how my training through NIFA has helped me step up to this new
challenge and feel confident to take on such an amazing responsibility.
Over the past year, we have done an amazing 200 robotic
cases, and they thought were only going to do 50! Our institution is using robotics for GYN-hysters,
sacrocolpopexy, cancer cases, gallbladders, Nissens, LARs, GU-prostates and heart
cases. I primarily do general/gyn cases and also have become an unofficial
robotics coordinator for this specialty. We are on our way to become an
epicenter for GYN procedures, one of only a few institutions across the
country! WOW!
This spring, I will be traveling to California or Texas with
another RNFA from our hospital to learn about doing thyroids with the da Vinci.
We will get to do a "wet lab" with cadavers.
I am so excited for this new adventure and very lucky that RNFAs are
involved in this from the beginning, since we lack a resident training program
at this time for the da Vinci. I'm thankful to NIFA for helping me qualify to be
the primary RNFA for this program.
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RNFA Tip: CNOR and You
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Are you aware that you
don't need CNOR to enroll in NIFA's RNFA Program 2.0?
You only need to be CNOR eligible and later have CNOR before graduation.
(The CNOR requirement is waived for APNs.) About 50% of our RNFA students do
not have CNOR at the time of enrollment. However, they are studying for the
CNOR concurrently with their RNFA Program by using AORN's
"Prep for CNOR" course. That course is so good that AORN
guarantees you will pass CNOR or receive a refund. Click the link above for
details.
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NIFA helps fund
OR Management Education monthly as an
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