In this episode of the Surgical Assistant Podcast, Kelly and John welcome surgical educator, author, and former ASA vice president Rebecca Hall to discuss strengthening surgical assisting through education, resources, and professional standards. Rebecca explains how her pocket guide, Suture and Surgical Hemostasis (2nd edition), grew from teaching tools she created for students, and why updates like mesh, new sutures, and evolving technology matter for assistants making real-time closure decisions. They also cover The Practice and Principles of Surgical Assisting (2025), inspired by Karen Ludwig’s vision for an ASA-based textbook written by surgical assistants to better reflect OR realities. The conversation highlights ethics, scope of practice, independent practice, gaps in hands-on training and access to H&Ps/EHRs, and the need for more relevant CE content created by working assistants.

https://www.amazon.com/Suture-Surgical-Hemostasis-Pocket-Guide/dp/1416022473https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Principles-Surgical-Assisting/dp/126426437200:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction

.01:52 Rebecca's Background and Credentials

02:57 Location Update to Ohio

04:23 Creating the Suture Pocket Guide

05:43 Importance of Suture Knowledge

07:51 Second Edition Updates09:04 The Surgical Assisting Textbook

09:27 Karen Ludwig's Legacy

10:46 Need for More Resources

11:52 Ethics and Scope of Practice

14:21 Standing Up for Your Limits

15:46 Creating Resources for the Field

17:44 Available Textbooks and Materials

19:21 Improving Surgical Assistant Education

20:41 Improving CE Courses

21:42 Writing CE Articles

23:23 Sharing Knowledge and Experience

24:14 Defining Excellence in Surgical Assisting

26:26 Learning Surgeonese

27:55 Patient History and H&Ps

30:20 Epic Access for Assistants

32:27 Discussing Surgical Technique

33:55 Education Program Challenges

37:15 Hands-On Training Standards

38:54 Hospital Utilization Issues

40:59 Closing Thoughts and Resources