We gratefully acknowledge financial support of this activity through an independent education grant from Arrow, International.

Determination of educational content for this program and the selection of speakers are responsibilities of the program director. Firms providing financial support did not have input in these areas.

Emergency Calls
You can be reached during workshop hours for emergency calls at (319) 356 1616, pager 1222 or 1227, through the Department of Anesthesia.

The content of the workshops and selection of speakers is the responsibility of the course director. Commercial firms providing support do not have input in these areas.

Disclosure Policy
Everyone in a position to control the content of this educational activity will disclose to the CME provider and to attendees all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. They will also disclose if any pharmaceuticals or medical procedures and devices discussed are investigational or unapproved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The workshop Director, Andre Boezaart, MD, PhD. has received compensation for previous work done in consultation with Arrow International on development of the "StimuCath" continuous nerve block device. Dr. Boezaart retains his relationship with Arrow International as consultant with regard to this particular device.

Anti-Discrimination Policy
The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination in employment and in its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preference. The University also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to University facilities. For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact the Coordinator of Title IX, section 504, and the ADA in the Office of Affirmative action, (319) 335-0705 (voice) or (319) 335-0697 (text), The University of Iowa, 202 Jessup hall, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the Continuing Medical Education Division in advance at (319) 335-8599 or RASCI@uiowa.edu.

Volunteers
RASCI workshops make generous use of paid volunteers to demonstrate surface anatomy and actual blocks and catheter placements. The demonstration is done in an operating room under absolute sterile conditions and after full informed consent is obtained from the volunteer. (View consent form: Upper Body, Lower Body) Volunteers are also cared for by a specifically dedicated medical doctor trained in anesthesiology and is monitored and treated with the utmost care and in accordance with normal clinical practice of the Department of Anesthesia of the University of Iowa. Because the nerve blocks and catheter placements are demonstrated under absolutely ideal conditions, the physical and mental status of the volunteers must also be ideally suited for the demonstrations. People are encouraged to volunteer for this valuable teaching method, but it the final selection of volunteers for RASCI will be made by the course director. He will be guided by the following criteria:

• The general physical and mental health of the volunteer must be excellent and volunteers must fully disclose their health status.
• Young males between the ages of 20 and 40 years of age will receive preference. This is because older men may suffer undisclosed health problems and, due to the nature of the surface anatomy demonstrations; this may cause embarrassments in female volunteers.
• The volunteers must ideally be between 5’8” and 6’6” and between 130 and 200 lbs. It is well recognized that medical procedures on people with significant amounts of subcutaneous adipose tissue may be more difficult (and therefore may lead to potential complications) and it is an absolute requirement of these demonstrations that all possible complicating factors be eliminated totally.

People who wish to volunteer must please contact The Course Director, Dr André P Boezaart MD, PhD at RASCI@uiowa.edu for possible selection. Please note that selection is not automatic and depends solely on the discretion of the Course Director. People who present with any possible complicating factors will not be considered for selection as paid volunteer. The health of potential volunteers will in no way be endangered and disclosure of the reasons for refusal for selection is not required from the Course Director.

Animal Ethics
RASCI workshops make extensive use of pigs for the participants to learn Regional Anesthesia techniques because these techniques require advanced skills that can only be acquired by repeated performance. Performing these techniques proficiently hold tremendous benefits for human (and animal) patients but it is deemed unfair and potentially dangerous to teach physicians to learn how to perform these techniques on patients because of the potential danger of these techniques in the hands of novices.

Animals used for this purpose are specifically bred for medical research and are fully anesthetized similar to animals and humans undergoing surgery. The animals are non-paralyzed to indicate to veterinary anesthesiologists attending to the animals during workshops when anesthesia is not sufficient. Animals are housed and cared for in accordance with the strictest University of Iowa, National and International guidelines and ethical prescriptions and following the consent and continuous supervision of the University of Iowa Animal Ethics Committee. Animals are formally euthanased at the end of each workshop while still under formal general anesthesia in accordance with strictly applied and enforced National and International standards. A person experienced in and sensitive to ethical animal usage gives a lecture on respectful and ethical treatment of laboratory animals at each RASCI workshop.