Haiti, 2010, Exploratory Laparotomy

Tony's Story

CSTs and CSFAs are extraordinary, in both their profession and their personal lives. We salute each of you and the selflessness you demonstrate every day as you provide quality patient care in the surgical setting.

Tony Forgione, CST

In May 2021, I celebrated my fiftieth year as a surgical technologist. I received my training while I was in the Navy at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD. At the time, “operating room technician” was the usual description of this role.

Since graduation I have been on a series of adventures as a surgical technologist. In 1972, while stationed at the Chelsea Naval Hospital in Chelsea, MA, I participated in this new technology known as laparoscopic surgery which was strictly a diagnostic procedure at the time. While I was there, I was able to start to master the craft of my profession.

After I left the military, I was employed by the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, MA. Initially, I rotated through all the surgical services obtaining a broad spectrum of experiences. Working the night shift for a few years helped me to master the various aspects of trauma surgery. Eventually joined the Genio-Urinary team where I worked with doctors who were pioneering Percutaneous Lithotripsy as well as laser treatment for bladder stones. I also worked with surgeons performing kidney and liver transplants.

During the late 1990s, I joined the International Medical Surgical Response Team (IMSuRT). This team is part of the National Disaster Medical System of the Department of Health and Human Services. This new team was mandated to supply surgical and intensive care to international victims of disasters.

With the help of the doctors and operating room nurses on the team we created a stream-lined operating room using a modular system of instruments which could be expanded or compressed based on the nature of the injuries presented.

Haiti, 2010, Gunshot to Chest

Iran, 2003, Cesarean Section

On our first deployment we were sent to New York City to provide medical support after 9/11. In 2003 we were deployed to Bam, Iran as part of the global response to a major earthquake. We were the first Americans in Iran since the hostage crisis. It was there that we performed our first surgeries in a field hospital in an austere environment. In 2010 we were sent to Haiti after that country was devastated by another earthquake where we performed multiple surgeries. Through the years, our team has also deployed to various states for disaster relief responses, primarily for hurricanes (and the team has since been renamed as the Trauma and Critical Care Team (TCCT)).

Presently, at MGH, I am on the Pediatric service and the Burn service, working with an amazing group of doctors and nurses.

On a side note: my hobby for a number of years was staging Civil War battle reenactments.

I consider myself very fortunate to have spent the majority of my career at the MGH, a truly world-class institution. Working with IMSuRT/TCCT has also challenged me to perform my role in environments most surgical technologists never experience. It’s been a great 50 years, and I’m looking forward to the next 50!

Iran, 2003, Sterile Processing

Meet the new Examination Review Committee members appointed by the NBSTSA Board of Directors

CST-ERC

• Rochelle Duplechian, CST, FAST
  Carencro, Louisiana
   
• Aaron Morris, CST
  Greenville, Kentucky
   
• Emily Runions, CST
  Grand Island, New York

CSFA-ERC

• Beth Curry, CST, CSFA
  Newark, Ohio
   
• Darby Wacker, CST, CSFA
  Glenwood, Minnesota 

If you have interest in volunteering with the NBSTSA please contact linda@nbstsa.org for information.

We want to hear from YOU!

We want to hear from you! What would you like to share with the NBSTSA and your peers? You have stories, and a passion for your profession that we would love to hear about, and share with our community!

These stories may be about your career experiences, about your OR, or about other CSTs and CSFAs that you’d like the world to know about! So send us your human interest pieces, tell us about your unusual hobbies that make you tick, or share with us a tribute to someone who’s had a great impact on your life or profession. 

Please email your stories to Linda Stewart at linda@nbstsa.org along with expressed permission to share. Keep an eye out for future issues of Scrub Buzz, you may get published!

We look forward to celebrating you, your profession, and all of the amazing things each of you do on a daily basis!

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