About Certification

Certification

There are two certifications that the ASATT recognizes, the certified Anesthesia Technologist and certified Anesthesia Technician.

The Technician certification is still valid for those who hold it, although we no longer test for this certification.

The Technologist certification can be earned by completing an CAAHEP accredited / CoA-ATE approved program, followed by successfully passing the Technologist exam.  Certified Anesthesia Technicians in good standing have the opportunity to sit for the Technologist certification exam by completing the *Advancement Program.

Designation Requirements

Certified Anesthesia Technician, Cer.A.T. – No longer offering certification exam.

Certified Anesthesia Technologist, Cer.A.T.T. - Completing an CAAHEP accredited / CoA-ATE approved program, followed by successfully passing the Technologist exam.  Certified Anesthesia Technicians in good standing have the opportunity to sit for the Technologist certification exam by completing the *Advancement Program.

*Covered in the ASATT REFRESHER/ADVANCEMENT/PROVISIONAL RECERTIFICATION PROGRAM STANDARDS section

Continuing Education

Continuing education is essential to enable Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians to ensure personal and professional development in the rapidly changing field of anesthesia technology. Therefore, to retain the Certified Anesthesia Technician and Technologist designation, Anesthesia Technicians and Technologist must document continuing education.

CE Credit Requirements

After an individual has become certified or been recertified, they must begin to earn continuing education credits, according to their two year certification period. For new certified individuals they must wait for their designated two years certification period to begin. Example if you received your Technologist certification July 18, 2016, your certification expires December 31, 2018, so your 2 year designated certification period would be January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018, so you would have to wait until January 1, 2017 to start earning CE’s.

Certified Anesthesia Technician, Cer.A.T. – Individuals holding the Cer.A.T. Certification must earn 20 CE’s during their two year certification period. 

Certified Anesthesia Technologist, Cer.A.T.T. – Individuals holding the Cer.A.T.T. Certification must earn 30 CE’s during their two year certification period.

Recommended Program and Credits

It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure appropriate courses are taken and complete records are maintained.

Credit Calculation -  One continuing education/contact hour (CE/CH) may be requested for each 50-60 minute lecture attended. Hours will not be given for introductory remarks, breaks, business meetings, meals, or non-anesthesia related topics that do not fall under category II.

The content of the lectures must be relevant to the Anesthesia Content Outline listed below. During each two-year recertification period, you may submit only 5 CE/CH from Category II that do not relate to the Anesthesia Technician Content Outline.

Category I: Operating Room tasks Infection Control Techniques Basic Anatomy and Physiology Types of Anesthesia Airway Management Equipment Anesthesia Gas Machine and Gas Delivery Monitors and Ancillary Devices Pharmacy Intravenous Therapy

Category II: Stress Management Interpersonal Disciplines Computer Programming Data Record Keeping Materials Management Marketing Quality Assurance Training

Other educational programs

Activity relevant to the profession of Anesthesia Technology CE/CHs may be earned by active participation in the field of anesthesia technology such as presenting lectures or serving the national organization as an official member of any committee or board. CE/CHs are awarded as follows:

Activity

Presenting a 50-60 minute lecture on a topic relevant to the Anesthesia Technician Content

Outline - 1 for each different topic presented

Preparing a 50-60 minute lecture on a topic relevant to the Anesthesia Technician Content

Outline - 2 for each different topic presented

Serving on a official ASATT committee or board

1 for each separate official ASATT committee or board served with a maximum of 3 each year

Carry Forward of Excess CE's

CE’s earned over the required amounts needed for Technician and Technologist recertification may not be carried over to the next certification period.

Continuing Education CE's accepted by ASATT

Attendance at an ASATT National meeting

Attendance at an ASATT Regional meeting

ASATT Sensor Quizzes. (Only quizzes from your certification period can be used)

Active participation on an ASATT Board or committee

Preparing and or presenting a lecture relevant to Anesthesia Technology

CE’s from ASATT approved website

BLS – copy front and back (2 CE’s), documentation that the course was 4 hours in length (4 CE’s)

*ACLS – New (8 CE’s), Renewal (4 CE’s)

*PALS – New (8 CE’s), Renewal (4 CE’s)

*Must show documentation that it is a new or first time certification to claim 8 CE’s

Other Meetings and Credits

On the ASATT website under our Events tab there is a section called Meetings and Events, listed there will be meetings that have submitted paper work to have their CE’s approved by ASATT.  Once the CE’s have been approved the number of approved CE’s will be listed.

Third-Party CE Approval

It is the responsibility of the individual to determine if a seminar, meeting, or other educational opportunity outside of ASATT programming meets the requirements for ASATT approval. If the CE comes from a third-party, the individual risks not receiving approval or full credit. The individual is responsible to maintain evidence that the CE(s) meet the ASATT requirements. Each CE earned outside of ASAT programming must be approved by ASATT, and will require a processing fee to be reviewed and vetted for approval. The fees and processing must be complete before credit can be earned toward recertification.

Third-party CEs earned outside of ASATT programming can be submitted for review by completing the proper Continuing Education Approval Forms, found below, and by including all relevant information needed to assess and review the CE to ensure it meets ASATT programmatic standards. These forms are reviewed and approved by the Education Committee.

• Continuing Education Payment Form
• Continuing Education Program Outline Application

Individuals applying for approval of third-party CEs are subject to processing fees. Third-party providers are no longer required to submit pre-approval applications or fees, but that does not guarantee approval of all third-party CEs. The processing fees (paid by the individual) are as follows:

$10 per CE for the first 10 CEs

$15 per CE for CEs 11-15

$20 per CE for CEs 16-20

$25 per CE for CEs 21-25

$30 per CE for CEs 26-30

If a certified technician chooses to earn all required CEs from third-party providers (BLS, ACLS, PALS excluded) the Cer.A.T. can expect to pay $275.00 total in CE processing fees (not including the recertification fee).

If a certified technologist chooses to earn all required CEs from third-party providers (BLS, ACLS, PALS excluded) the Cer.A.T.T. can expect to pay $550.00 total in CE processing fees (not including the recertification fee).

Anesthesia Tech Pearls are no longer pre-approved by ASATT. Individuals looking to utilize the Anesthesia Tech Pearls service must also submit the above applications and processing fees to ASATT, as well as any fees required by Anesthesia Tech Pearls.

If you have any questions or need additional information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for assistance. Issues that cannot be readily answered are referred to the Education Committee Chair for review and response.

CE Reporting (Recertification)

Certification expires December 31^st every two years. Individuals who are due to recertify this year will receive an email notification that it is time to renew. These emails will be sent by November 1^st. The email will include a short list of instructions for the applicants to complete. Applications mailed or postmarked after December 31 must include a $75 late fee. Remember all CE’s must be earned during your 2-year certification period. Your application will not be processed unless the correct fees are submitted. Members and non-members alike, who are contacted because of incomplete documentation, will incur an additional $50 fee to complete the processing of their packet. ASATT grants a renewal extension until January 31st, which means we must receive your packet on or before the 31st. If the 31st falls on a Saturday, your packet is due by the end of business on Friday. If the 31st falls on a Sunday, then your packet is due by the end of business on Monday. There will be no exceptions made for packets received after January 31st, unless prior arrangements were made with the Recertification Committee.

Request for an extension:

A request for extension must be made in writing to the Chair of the Recertification Committee. Keep in mind that even though an extension may have been granted the CE’s submitted must have been completed during your two year certification period.

Late Submissions:

If you submit your packet after the Grace period of January 31^st, you’re subject to loss of certification.

More information on ASATT recertification

Record Keeping

It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure complete records are maintained. For ASATT members, ASATT sponsored CE’s (National and Regional meetings, Sensor Quizzes) will be logged in the ASATT database, and can be viewed under your member profile on the ASATT website. All other CE’s earned even if the have an ASATT approval code will need to be submitted at the time of your recertification.

Requirements for certification to be re-established or advanced

ASATT REFRESHER/ADVANCEMENT/PROVISIONAL RECERTIFICATION PROGRAM STANDARDS

General Information

Purpose

There are three methods by which certification can be re-established or advanced:

CE Provider:  Application for Prior Approval

Policies and procedures for Refresher and Advancement are currently on hold.

Continuing Education Student Transcript Form

Provisional Recertification may be granted for the previously certified anesthesia technologist/technician whose certification was allowed to lapse due to late or insufficient CE credits beyond the December 31^st re-certification deadline.

Provisional Recertification Application