ATM Surgery
A specialised working group of NSA Luxembourg dedicated to representing students training as Assistant Technique Médical de Chirurgie — the operating room specialists who ensure safe, precise, and sterile surgical environments.
Precision behind the scalpel
The Surgical MTA Commission represents students pursuing the Assistant Technique Médical de Chirurgie (ATM Chirurgie) specialisation — the professionals who work directly alongside surgeons in the operating theatre, ensuring that every instrument, every suture, and every moment of the surgical procedure meets the highest standards of safety and precision.
Unlike other nursing specialisations, ATM Surgery focuses on the highly technical intraoperative environment: instrument handling and preparation, sterile field management, surgical assistance, specimen handling, and equipment maintenance. It demands exceptional concentration, manual dexterity, and the ability to anticipate the surgeon's needs in real time.
With the specialisation still relatively new at university level, the commission is focused on building a strong student community and ensuring that ATM Surgery students have a collective voice within NSA Luxembourg and beyond.
We are looking for a Representative
The ATM Surgery seat on the NSA Luxembourg Managing Board is currently vacant. We are actively searching for a motivated student or professional to represent the specialisation at board level.
The Team
The commission is led ad interim while the board representative position is being filled.
Commission Goals
Student Representation
Ensure ATM Surgery students have a dedicated voice in discussions with the university, hospital operating departments, and professional bodies about training quality and clinical placement conditions.
Board Representative Recruitment
Actively recruit a permanent ATM Surgery representative to sit on the NSA Luxembourg Managing Board, giving the specialisation full representation at the highest level of the association.
OR Placement Standards
Work with hospital surgical departments to ensure student placements provide meaningful exposure to diverse surgical specialities, proper supervision, and hands-on learning opportunities in sterile technique.
IVS Recognition
Support the broader NSA initiative for the "Infirmier en Voie de Spécialisation" (IVS) status, ensuring ATM Surgery students are properly identified and recognised during their operating theatre rotations.
Professional Visibility
Raise awareness about the ATM Surgery role among general care nursing students and the public, highlighting the specialisation as a highly skilled and rewarding career path within the operating room.
Technical Skills Exchange
Organise practical workshops and peer exchanges focused on surgical instrumentation, sterile technique, and interdisciplinary collaboration with surgical and anaesthesia teams.
Missions & Progress
Commission Establishment
Formalised the commission structure under interim leadership, established operating procedures, and integrated into NSA Luxembourg's governance framework alongside the four other commissions.
Support for IVS Proposal
Contributed to the association-wide proposal for the "Infirmier en Voie de Spécialisation" title, providing input on the specific context of ATM Surgery students working in operating theatres alongside established surgical teams.
Board Representative Search
Actively seeking a motivated ATM Surgery student or recently qualified professional to take on the permanent role of Représentant ATM Chirurgie on the NSA Luxembourg Managing Board.
OR Placement Mapping
Documenting all available operating theatre placement sites across Luxembourg's hospitals, including the range of surgical specialities accessible to students and the supervision structures in place.
Interprofessional OR Collaboration
Building connections with the Anesthesia Commission and hospital surgical teams to explore joint educational events simulating the real-world interdisciplinary dynamic of the operating room.
ATM Surgery in Luxembourg
The Assistant Technique Médical de Chirurgie (ATM Chirurgie) is a specialised nursing professional trained to work within the surgical team in the operating theatre. Their role is distinct from the anaesthesia nurse: while the CRNA manages the patient's physiological state, the ATM Surgeon focuses on the surgical field itself.
Core competencies include surgical instrument preparation and handling, sterile field management, surgical draping, tissue retraction, specimen handling, wound closure assistance, and equipment maintenance. ATM Surgery professionals work across all surgical disciplines — from orthopaedics and visceral surgery to cardiac, vascular, neurosurgery, and minimally invasive procedures.
Since September 2023, the specialisation is offered at the Université du Luxembourg as a 4-semester Bachelor of Science programme, accepting up to 15 students per cohort. The programme includes an international semester abroad, exposing students to different surgical practices and healthcare systems.
Passionate about the operating room?
Whether you are a current ATM Surgery student, a qualified professional, or considering a career in surgical nursing — we welcome your involvement. The commission especially needs a board representative.