Beyond Assisting

Beyond Assisting Tips and tricks in the operating room as a CST/CSFA with some humor along the way! https://linktr.ee/assistingandbeyond

10/01/2026

I've always been a "speak if I'm spoken to" kind of person, especially in a room full of people I don't know. Public speaking definitely didn't come naturally to me at first, but I forced myself out of my comfort zone - and now, I guess I just have to keep doing it.

I'm not doing this for me. If I were, I promise you, I wouldn't be standing on a stage. I do it because I'm passionate about our profession, the people in it, and helping our field grow.

Our voices matter. People cannot value a profession they don't understand, so we have to be willing to speak up and share what we do.

If I can do it, you can too. 💙

You can find the full video of my presentation at Nevada State AST Assembly on my YouTube channel.

09/30/2026

Going into clinicals? A few things I wish every student knew before stepping into the OR:

Come prepared. Be early. Stay off your phone (unless you're taking notes). Pay attention even when you aren't scrubbed in. Ask questions, but learn when the right time is to ask them. Jump in and help with the little things. Learn your instruments, procedures, and surgeon preferences whenever you can.

Most importantly, be teachable. You are going to make mistakes and get corrected. Don't let that discourage you. Clinicals are where everything you've learned in the classroom finally starts to make sense.

You don't have to know everything. You just need to show that you're willing to learn, work hard, and get better every single day.

09/29/2026

We have to start the conversations early.

Anyone can advocate for our profession. Attend a career day, visit a school, share what you do, or simply start a conversation. The more people understand the different roles inside the OR, the better chance we have of bringing the right people into these incredible professions.

You don’t need a huge platform to make a difference. You just have to be willing to speak up.

This clip is from the Massachusetts State Assembly last weekend, and you can watch my full Nevada State Assembly presentation on my YouTube channel!

09/28/2026

One of my favorite things about the Suction Switch is how simple it is to add into your setup.

It comes sterile, connects right between your suction tubing and suction tip, and gives you an easy way to control suction directly from the sterile field.

No constantly clamping your tubing. No unnecessary suction running when you don’t need it. Just a simple little device that can make your setup and workflow a whole lot easier.

Would you use something like this in your OR? 👀 Let me know below.

Learn more at **[www.suctionswitch.com](http://www.suctionswitch.com)** and check out ****

Sponsored video by Suction Switch. Opinions are my own.

09/27/2026

The horizontal mattress stitch is definitely one of my favorites to do.

It gives great control of the tissue edges, helps with approximation, and is just one of those sutures that feels so satisfying when it comes together cleanly.

09/26/2026

Throwing it back to the first video I had go viral.

"Did anybody ever warn you, that if you have a good work ethic and you're really good at your job, you not only get to do your job... you get to do everybody else's ?"

Still accurate. Still relatable. Still slightly painful 😅

Who else has learned this lesson the hard way? 🙋‍♀️

09/25/2026

Ever look at a suture package and wonder what SH actually means?

SH is commonly remembered as "small half-circle."

Those little letters on your suture package tell you a LOT about the needle you're about to use. Learning them makes choosing and anticipating sutures so much easier in the OR.

Save this one for your next clinical day.

09/24/2026

I've now written 22 children's picture books about the OR!

My goal has always been to help people understand just how many different roles and specialties exist within the operating room, while introducing kids to careers they may never otherwise know about.

All of my books are available on Amazon, and you can watch my full presentation from the Nevada State Assembly meeting on my YouTube channel!

Address

Las Vegas, NV

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Beyond Assisting posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Beyond Assisting:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category