Future of profession

How does CSA compare to the NP/PA SA
Is the CSA growing or shrinking in terms of responsibilty/power
Are most CSA independent or work in a group?
How is the New Jersey Market?
Where do you see this profession in 10 years?
Thanks

This is really a huge dilemma... SA has become very competitive these days. With the ever growing PA/NP SA's population, the CSA/SA-C's is being pushed to the outskirts of town where they have to contend themselves with the meager salary they'll be earning.

Unless you have proven your surgeons that you are a very good wing-man, you have the skills and right attitude they expect of as a surgical assistant plus a good deal of rapport when it comes to billing patients... I think SA's will do just fine but it'll be very competitive...

A lot of States now are only accepting RNFA's and PA's and the numbers are increasing... 10 years from now, I see this profession to be a PA/RNFA's mecca... simply because they have "other" jobs up their sleeves that the Physicians would really like to have "unloaded" from them...While compared to CSA/SA-C's after the surgical procedure, we are useless...

In fairness to the CSA/SA-C's, I just wonder if the quality of care for the patients would still be at its optimum?...considering they (PA/RNFA's) have various task to complete other than Surgical Assisting...

Unless we can do something about it, to level the playing field and to make sure that the safety of the patients are not compromised, the future of CSA/SA-C's is bleak...

Its a long climb uphill...