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MLSO Excellence: Medical Laser Safety Officer Course

Join us for a compliance & safety virtual training course designed for medical professionals. Learn essential skills to ensure safety in laser technology.

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Course Overview

This course is designed to provide operating room personnel with a foundation of laser biophysics, tissue interaction, safety, and administrative responsibilities. Technical aspects, as well as established best practices, will be reviewed on the multi-wavelength lasers. Laser safety protocols and documentation will be addressed according to the ANSI 136.3 – 2024 “Safe Use of Lasers in the Healthcare Facilities Standards,” and the AORN Laser Safety Guidelines 2020.

Course Schedule

Don’t miss your opportunity to engage with expert instructors and connect with fellow medical professionals throughout this interactive course.

Watch our webinar for a course preview:

Meet Our Instructors

Discover the expertise of our instructors and how they empower our students to excel in laser safety.

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Patti Owens MHA, BSN, RN, CMLSO, CNOR, FAORN

Perioperative Consultant

Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN

Perioperative Consultant

Compliance & Safety for Medical Laser Safety Officer Course

This course is designed to provide operating room personnel with a foundation of laser biophysics, tissue interaction, safety, and administrative responsibilities. Technical aspects, as well as established best practices, will be reviewed on the multi-wavelength lasers. Laser safety protocols and documentation will be addressed according to the ANSI 136.3 – 2024 “Safe Use of Lasers in the Healthcare Facilities Standards,” and the AORN Laser Safety Guidelines 2020.

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Course Overview

Laser technology has transformed modern medicine and healthcare disciplines, utilizing lasers to perform precise procedures. These Advances are risks to patients and professionals. The use of lasers in health care is associated with a variety of hazards, such as eye exposure, misaligned laser beams, use of unfamiliar equipment, and improper handling, which can affect the safety of personnel and patients and are non-compliant with regulations and guidelines. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)and the Association of PeriOperative Nurses (AORN) Lasers Guidelines has developed a series of standards for the safe use of lasers in the healthcare environment.

The ANSI Z136.3 standards and the AORN Guidelines require the designation of a laser safety officer (LSO), implement safety and engineering control measures, and train authorized personnel. LSOs are responsible for enforcing hospital laser safety procedures. Healthcare facilities manage these risks by assigning safety duties to an LSO. These standards and guidelines are enforceable by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), national accreditation organizations, and numerous state regulatory statutes.

This course is designed to provide operating room personnel with a foundation of laser biophysics, tissue interaction, safety, and administrative responsibilities. Technical aspects, as well as established best practices, will be reviewed on the multi-wavelength lasers. Laser safety protocols and documentation will be addressed according to the ANSI 136.3 – 2024 “Safe Use of Lasers in the Healthcare Facilities Standards,” and the AORN Laser Safety Guidelines 2020. Applicable national accreditation standards will be shared for laser safety program compliance. Instruction is accomplished through didactics and group discussion.

Objectives

Upon completion of the course the participants will:

  •  Discuss the fundamentals of laser tissue interaction and the science of laser physics.
  • Describe the systems used to classify laser and laser products according to the degree of hazard.
  • An understanding of the guidelines and procedures required for the safe use of lasers in their practice.
  • An understanding of the other (non-radiation) hazards associated with lasers (i.e. electrical hazards, laser plume).
  • Discuss the engineering, procedural, and administrative controls based upon evaluation of potential hazards from laser radiation and unique problems related to operating rooms, outpatient clinics, mobile laser units, and private medical and dental offices.
  • List several precautions taken for using energy sources for head, neck, and chest procedures.
  • Describe the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals utilizing lasers.

Day 1

Saturday

This event takes place in the Eastern Timezone (ET)

9:00 – 9:45 am

Introduction And Overview of Laser Technology In Medicine

9:45–10:45 am

Fundamentals of Laser Science and Tissue Interaction
  • Overview Of Laser Technology In Medicine
  • Waveform Creation

10:45–11:00 am

Break

11:00 am–12:00 pm

Fundamentals of Laser Science and Tissue Interaction Cont.
  • Characteristics
  • Bio-Tissue Interactions

12:00–12:15 pm

Laser Compliance Terminology – Alphabet Soup
  • NHZ, MPE, OD, LTCA, LPE, LEP

12:15–1:15 pm

Safe Laser Use in Clinical Settings
  • Laser Safety Protocols In Surgery, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, And Dentistry
  • Safe Handling And Operation Of Laser Devices

1:15–1:45 pm

Lunch

1:45–2:45 pm

Safe Laser Use in Clinical Settings
  • Required Documentation for Establishing a Laser Safety Program
  • Credentialing
  • Engineering Controls
  • CSA Z7001:24

2:45–3:45 pm

Laser Safety Compliance:
  • AORN Guidelines, ANSI 136.3-2024 Standards, CSA Z7001-2024, OSHA Standards, ORNAC, Professional Practice Guidelines

3:45–4:00 pm

Break

4:00–4:30 pm

Accreditation Organizations Standards – Survey Requirements
  • TJC, AAAAHC, QUAD A, CMS

4:30–5:30 pm

Infrastructure of a Laser Safety Program – Building Blocks
  • LSO and Team job descriptions, Education, Credentialing, Staffing, Competency Validation

5:30–6:00 pm

Vendor Presentations

Day 2

Sunday

9:00–10:30 am

Designing a Laser Safety Program – Risk Assessment
  • Laser Hazard Evaluation
  • Template for Policies/Procedures
  • Audit Formats
  • Medical Surveillance

10:30–11:30 am

Ocular Hazards
  • Anatomy of an Ocular injury
  • Laser Wavelength Versus OD
  • Eyewear Selection
  • Accessory Controls

11:30–11:45 am

Break

11:45 am–1:45 pm

Concepts of Laser Delivery Systems with Procedural and Surgery Application
  • Fibers, Handpieces, Microscopes, Waveguides, Endoscopes, Scanners, Endoprobe, Indirect Ophthalmoscopes

1:45–2:15 pm

Lunch

2:15–3:45 pm

Laser Plume and Smoke Evacuation
  • Composition And Risks Of Laser-Generated Airborne Contaminants (LGAC)
  • Smoke Evacuation Systems And Filtration Methods
  • Enacting a Smoke-Free Facility

3:45–4:00 pm

Break

4:00–5:15 pm

Anesthesia Practice Guidelines for Energy Sources
  • Shared Airway Risk Assessment
  • Laser Resistant ET-Tube Selection
  • Other Airway Delivery Systems

5:15–5:45 pm

Ethical Dilemmas And Case Studies

5:45–6:00 pm

Questions/Evaluation/Adjournment

Praise for MLSO Excellence

The logical flow of the curriculum, the flow of each presentation in the curriculum, was 100% on point. It kept people engaged, it was logical, and each presentation logically built on the previous one. So as a newbie, this was spot on.

It was the perfect amount of quirky humor and seriousness. Patti and Vangie work really well off of each other. They are both really good presenters/ teachers. That was a lot of information and they made it easy to digest. I would 100% recommend this to other facilitators. Bravo! And for someone who just wants people to get to the point, you kept my attention. That’s a compliment!
D. Wilson, Compliance Officer, Laser Safety
The most valuable information that I received is the information involving documentation. I intend to implement this information to my leadership team and obtain record information on our surgical lasers.

I was pleased with the various scenarios that were provided in reference to the failed use of proper equipment and safety precautions. I would recommend this course to my entire team. I feel that the entire biomed team would benefit from taking this course.
Michele, Biomedical Services
Thank you for providing such an informative MLSO course. I found the material and resources to be very beneficial for my practice and for my potential future role as a laser safety officer. Patti and Vangie were great course instructors, very engaging and insightful.
Q. Rizzo, TCF Biomedical Engineer

Disclaimer

Attendance at an MLSO Excellence Laser Safety Training Course does not constitute a license to practice, nor does it guarantee that your workplace will be free of laser hazards. Perioperative Consultants, LLC, MD Publishing, and their instructors are not liable for any accidents or injuries that may occur as a result of implementing laser safety practices.

All course materials are copyrighted by Perioperative Consultants, LLC and may not be copied, reproduced, or stored in any electronic retrieval system without written permission. Unauthorized use or reproduction of this material constitutes a violation of copyright law and may result in legal action.