Surgical Technologist Certification: Is it Required?
Never heard of surgical techs? Most likely, you know them by other names. Surgical techs are often referred to as operating room technicians, surgical technologists, or scrub techs. Regardless of what you call them, these professionals play an integral role in operating rooms. If you have a dream of joining an exciting field where you can make a difference, consider becoming a surgical technologist. You could become an important part of the healthcare team that works to change people’s lives for the better.
What Surgical Technologists Do
The responsibilities of surgical technologists include preparing patients and operating rooms for surgeries. They ensure that there are enough supplies in the operating room and sterilize equipment before the surgeon begins. Surgical technologists prepare their patients by cleaning and disinfecting the incision areas. Surgical techs assist the surgeons during surgery by handing them instruments and holding organs in place.
After the procedure is complete, they help in dressing the wound before patients are transferred to the recovery room. As a surgical technologist, you will work for long hours, and you can be on call during night shifts, weekends, and holidays. Although working as a surgical tech may seem daunting, you will go to bed every night knowing that you have helped save a life and made a difference.
Educational Requirements to Become a Surgical Technologist
To become a qualified surgical technician and work in the field, you need to complete a certificate, diploma or associate degree. Certificate and diploma programs can take less than a year while an associate degree program takes less than two years. However, the best way for you to become a certified surgical technologist is by earning a certificate or degree through a program that is accredited. Such programs could equip you with a thorough understanding of surgical procedures, a solid medical background and important technical skills that are needed in operating rooms.
Why Should You Become Certified?
This certification exam isn’t compulsory but is important, and it is open to anyone who has already earned an ABHES or CCHEP accredited degree. This certification program provides both medical knowledge and skills that are required for entry-level technologists, for instance, specific techniques in perioperative care, post-operative care, intra-operative care and basic science. By passing this certification exam, you qualify as a Certified Surgical Technologist.
Benefits of Being Certified
You can easily enter the field: Many roles in the healthcare field require years of schooling and hands-on experience before you become qualified. However, this isn’t the case for surgical techs.
Why is Education Important to Become a Surgical Tech?
Surgical technicians are part of the medical profession, and it is compulsory to complete an educational program that offers both clinical and coursework experience. The school coursework includes classroom instructions in patient care, sciences, surgical procedures, and anatomy. Hands-on experience in a clinical setting is also important in preparing you to join a surgical team of registered nurses and doctors operating in a theater. This will give you a chance to see how an operating team works together, and learn first-hand how to perform surgery.
Clinical internships are also part of the education process where you will assist in the preparation of operating rooms before surgical procedures; sterilize the room and tools for surgery before and after the procedure; and learn how to help nurses and surgeons during the actual preparations. An educational program also includes academic courses in social sciences, communication, and quantitative reasoning. These skills will give you a foundation for the technical skills that you’ll gain during the surgical tech program.
Are you interested in becoming a valued member of a surgical team? If you want to earn your Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology, consider ECPI University for your education. With accelerated classes and year-round scheduling, you could earn your degree in as little as 18 months. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions representative today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.
For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.