Wow — time really flies. It seems like only yesterday that I was elected to serve you as president. Now, two terms later, here we are. Elections are underway, and I am excited to see some new members seeking to join our team. I wish all candidates good luck.

Theta is enjoying a remarkable year with a total of 142 members as of February 28. Well done! We are looking forward to our education days on April 20 and 21, including a dinner-and-learn Friday evening and a full day of speakers and exhibits Saturday.

The Theta/Lambda course has closed with 75 students at six sites. This will be the last classroom course.

On June 1, 2018, all online courses will open on www.mdrao.ca. There will be no classroom courses. The student will register online, receive a textbook and workbook, and get access to resources on the website with a password. There will be PowerPoint presentations, video clips, videos and an assigned facilitator. The exam is online and facilitated by Proctor U, so you will need a webcam.

In 2017-2018 the following educations sessions were provided at our four meetings:

Education certificates will be emailed to all those attending after the April 11 session.

Refresher — $340.00:

The online exam opens June 1, 2018, and closes Feb. 1,  2019. The application will be available at www.mdrao.ca. You have three months from the registration day to write, and if you fail, you have one opportunity to rewrite at a cost of $200.00. If you plan to write the CMDRT register as the manual, content is required reading and preparation material for this exam. Make sure to register so that you write the exam before your certificate expires. The exam is written online with webcam required; no face-to-face writing.

There will be no more classroom courses; all courses will be online starting June 1.

You will register online, and receive a textbook and workbook as well as an assigned facilitator. You will be given access to PowerPoint presentations and quizzes after completing the slides, videos and video clips inserted into the slides. The exam will be done online and proctored by webcam through Proctor U. You will have one chance to rewrite for a $200.00 fee.

Registration for 2018 membership closed March 1 and will reopen June 1. Everyone must renew their membership. To be eligible for Theta draws, you must have paid by Sept 20. Draw: Two free conference registrations, plus total expenses including registration of $1,000.00. You must attend the September/November 2018 and February 2019 meetings to draw at end of the February meeting.

MANAGERS	NEW MANAGER	TECHNICIANS	NEW TECHNICIAN	ASSOCIATES	NEW ASSOCIATE	TOTAL
17	0	86	4	34	1	142

Friday, April 20,  6-8 p.m.
Dinner-and-Learn Topics: Water Quality in Reprocessing & Endoscopy Best Practices 8-10 Hospitality Room.

Saturday, April 21, 8-3:30
Education Session Topics: MIS Instruments KRIS ANELLO AMT Surgical/Vantage Endoscopy, Standardizing Sets/Lean Principles in MDRD, Instrument Management System Getinge, New Medical Device Reprocessing Standard Z314 Colleen Landers & Ian Pequegnat Steris.

We have 24 vendors and 48 delegates to date. Registration is closed. A draw for a free 2019 MDRAO conference registration will take place for Theta members. There are prizes, and Theta chapter members who registered for 2017-2018 membership by Sept. 25 will attend for free.

All members have access to resource videos on www.mdrao.ca. Log in as a member — you should have received an email giving you a password to log in to the members-only site. Go to Members Centre and then New Resource library. There are more than 20 videos there for free viewing.

Winners of the Free 2019 MDRAO Conference are Monique Favron Midland & Darlene Simon Wawa.
They attended the September/November 2017 and February 2018 meetings, and their names were drawn. Congratulations! The next MDRAO date is September 6-8, 2019, at the Marriott Toronto Airport and Conference Centre Dixon Road.

New CSA Stand Z314-18 Canadian Medical Device Reprocessing. The direct link to the new Z314 standard is here: http://shop.csa.ca/en/canada/sterilization/cancsa-Z314-18/invt/27043922018. Every reprocessing department needs to buy this and review all their policies and procedures in 2018, as well as update to the new standard.

 

Book your site from 115-300 p.m. with OTN central using these event numbers:

September 19: Event # 83309255; Nov 14 Event# 83309485
February 20: Event #83309789
April 10: Event #83309854