UNC Casting Workshop

The UNC Casting Workshop Series provides healthcare providers, clinical staff, and learners with practical skills related to the application and removal of casts in a state-of-the-art facility on the main UNC-Chapel Hill campus or in small group settings at your facility. Each four-hour work session includes didactic learning and hands-on practicums.  This is primarily a hands-on learning experience, and learners will spend most of the time casting and practicing their skills.
Audience
The casting workshops are beneficial for any clinical staff member or provider involved in the application or removal of casts including (but not limited to) certified medical assistants, orthopaedic technicians, nurses, athletic trainers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, advanced practice providers, and physicians.
Workshop Curricula
The workshops cover the most commonly utilized splinting and casting techniques.  The workshops are divided into two courses: introduction to casting, and advanced casting techniques.  Learners will understand the properties of fiberglass and plaster, along with how to manage casting complications.
Basic Casting and Splinting

Upper Extremity

Splinting: Short arm, Thumb Spica, Ulna gutter splint
Casting: Short arm cast, Long arm cast, Thumb spica cast, Short arm cast removal

Lower Extremity

Splinting: Short leg splint
Casting: Short leg cast, Shot leg cast removal

Materials

This workshop is paired with the AAOE Splinting and Casting Materials. Participants should purchase additional materials which will give them access to videos, didactic materials and a casting and splinting manual.

You will need to assign a proctor - A proctor would be your manager or the lead ortho tech that will be able to sign off on your casting skills. It should be someone that works with you and can follow you through your casting progress. We will be there for the casting workshop, but will not be there to follow your progression. We give you the skills and tools you need to cast, but you have to go back to clinic to continue to work on them.

You do not need to take the test.
Instructors
Ruth Byers OTC. Ruth has been providing patient care and education for more than 20 years. In her clinical practice, she specializes in advanced casting applications for pediatric limb deformities and has a passion for pediatric care. She is the lead orthopedic technician for the University of North Carolina, Department of Orthopedics. She is actively involved in mentoring and training clinical staff at the university and in the community at large. She regularly teaches residents, fellows, medical students, clinical staff,  MDs, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other healthcare learners. She is a certified instructor with the National Association of Orthopedic Technologists and currently serves on the Ethics Committee of the NBCOT.
Chanelle Arsenault OTC. Chanelle has been providing clinical care at UNC for more than five years and is a certified Orthopaedic Technician. She has held teaching positions at community colleges teaching orthopaedic tech students. She recently completed her master's degree in healthcare administration and is a Coordinator for the UNC Orthopaedic Skills Lab.

 
Contact
For questions about the orthopaedic casting workshops, please contact Mariah Williams:
Email: mariah_williams@med.unc.edu 
Phone: 919.843.6172