NEW CERTIFICATION

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Eight operating room technicians at Southeast Missouri Hospital here have completed certification requirements to attain Certified Operating Room Technician (CORT) status. In addition, one of the hospital's registered nurses has completed the Certified Nurse Operating room (CNOR) examination.

All examinations for the course were administered in St. Louis.

Anita Graviett, R.N. received her CNOR. Mary Schindler, LPN, Connie Reed, LPN, Tina Hutchison, Marcelo Darabos, George Savoy, Carol Schmidt, Cindy Hedge, and Hildegard Inman all completed CORT requirements.

Surgery supervisor Lois Scott, R.N., said that the certification "reflects a concern for accountability to the general public for nursing and surgical technology practice. We are proud these individuals took the initiative to voluntarily seek this distinguished recognition."

Operating room technicians, Scott explained, scrub and assist surgeons during operative procedures.

The certification preparation included a 19-week structured review course, prepared by Stephanie Kasten, Southeast's Nursing Education Coordinator-surgery.