UPCOMING MEETINGS

Alberta Chapter of the CSOT

The Alberta Chapter meets the last Wednesday of every month

DJO/CSOT Education Night

One of the CSOT’s prime supporters, DJO will be hosting a CSOT education night along with the Graham Bell and Trillium Circle Chapter.

Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Place: Wendel Clarks Sports Grill (400 and Hwy 7)
Topic: X Ray Image Interpretation
Speaker: Dr. Anthony Mascia (radiology)

All attendees can claim 5 points towards their CEP for 2011.

It's essential that you RSVP
Faye Gibson - 416 813-5785
Joe Maulucci - 519 754-1908
Frank Ammirato 416 414-0242 or email Frank at f.ammo@sympatico.ca

West Coast Chapter of the CSOT

April 10, 2010 - 0930 - RCH - Wrist Scaphoid Management
June 26, 2010 - 0930 - PAH - Lower Extremity/PTB Management
September 18, 2010 - 0930 - Children's Hospital - Traction/Hip Spicas
December 4, 2010 - 1800 - Sammy J. Peppars - Xmas dinner meeting

CSOT FUTURE CONFERENCES

The following dates have been set for the CSOT Conference
at the Doubletree By Hilton Toronto Airport, Toronto, Ontario

• 2010 - April 30, May 1 and 2 "Orthopaedic Sense and Solutions"
• 2012 - April 27, 28 and 29

ASOPA/NAOT CONFERENCE

Date: August 4 - 7, 2010
Place: Hilton Americas - Houston, Houston Texas
Fee: $395.00 U.S. for members and $445.00 U.S. for non members
Room rate: $139.00 per night single/double

For more informatin please visit the ASOPA website at www.asopa.org or the NAOT website at www.naot.org or call 800-280-2390

BORDER TO ALBERTA ‘NOT' CLOSED (According to HPA Director)

On January 19, 2009 Brian Fandrick and I met with Dona Carlson and Karel Bennett - Director of the Health Professions Unit (HPA) of the Alberta Government. A few years ago the Health Professional Act was introduced and put into fruition in our province. Without going into detail, the bottom line that was presented to us by Human Resources and a representative of the HPA was this - "in order to practice as an orthopaedic technologist you must first be an LPN and then take an advanced orthopaedic course through Norquest College".

This information meant a CSOT member without an LPN license would not be hired in Alberta. Those already working would be grand fathered. Norquest's programme is geared more toward orthopaedic nursing than orthopaedic technology. Through no fault of their own, candidates with an orthopaedic certificate are not truly prepared to enter the workforce with the skills required to work independently. Norquest does not have a practicum exam for these candidates. They receive a certificate on a written exam only.

The intent of the meeting with HPA was to discuss the possibility of CSOT input into the already existing programme to assist in raising the level of technical knowledge and practicum experience. To our surprise, we were informed the HPA does not say "you must be an LPN with the Norquest Programme" to have the right to practice in Alberta.

It appears CSOT members were either misinformed or misrepresented by the HPA representative and H.R. personnel from our region. Because of this, the expertise and skill set that could have been brought into our province by CSOT registered members was denied. The director of HPA, Karel Bennett, stated she would ask the Deputy Minister of Alberta to send a letter to all HR and Management with the correct interpretation of the Act. LPN/Ortho Techs are regulated through HPA, CSOT members are unregulated. According to HPA either can work in Alberta. LPN/OT's can do a (restricted) procedure, ie., start an IV whereby CSOT members without the LPN certificate cannot. Whether regulated or unregulated there is an element of supervision. CSOT registered orthopaedic technologists/orthopaedic technicians are under the supervision of an Orthopaedic Surgeon or ER Physician. Ultimately, management can make their own decision as to who is hired for any specific discipline.

The puzzle is - if HR and Management had a choice of having a skilled technologist or one with limited skills, especially when compensation in some regions is equal - why have CSOT members from across Canada been shut out? I truly hope the answer to this is because there has been a serious misinterpretation of the Health Professions Act. Hopefully there will be a review as well as a revision of past decisions. Respectfully submitted Patricia Ennis, President CSOT