Standards of Practice
The Association of Surgical Technologists recognized the need for CSTs and CSFAs to have a comprehensive publication focused on evidence-based Standards of Practice. The Standards of Practice were researched and developed, in order to aid in legislative efforts for state assemblies and to provide readily available answers to questions asked by operating room supervisors.

Both the CST and CSFA have been educated with the guidelines set forth by the Association of Surgical Technologists, and the Standards of Practice will help assure patients, practitioners and allied health administrators that, from the classroom to practice, from the hospital to the surgery center, the practice of surgical technology and surgical assisting is aligned with the highest educational and performance standards.

The Standards of Practice are statements of the minimum expectation of the profession, designed to be references in establishing safe practice guidelines in individual healthcare facilities that employ CSTs and CSFAs.

Standards of Practice Table of Contents

The Standards of Practice have been developed on three different levels:

Position Statements reflect a stance, viewpoint and/or perspective. To review individual
Position Statements.

Guidelines Statements are guides to best practices. To review individual
Guideline Statements.e.

Recommended Standards of Practice are standards of care that are expected to be achieved. To review individual Standards.

The Standards of Practice available on these pages represent only those Standards that have been approved by the AST Board of Directors. More will be published in the near future. To download all Board-approved Standards of Practice, please click here.

AST members will have free access to all Standards on this Members Only section of the website.