Surgical Technologist: Definition and Job Description
Surgical technologists, also known as surgical technicians or operating room assistants, help prepare the operating room and the patient for a surgical procedure. They sterilize instruments using a variety of techniques, arrange equipment, and assist in surgical operations. They prep the patient by cleaning and disinfecting the area near the incision. They may hold organs in place during the operation, or hold retractors so the surgeon can do the slicing and dicing. They may help dress the wound after the operation is complete, and accompany a patient to the recovery room.
What are some of the benefits of this profession?
Things you can see
The tangible benefits of being a surgical technologist include a good salary and faster than average job growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for a surgical technologist in 2016 was $45,160. The median is the point at which half the members of the profession earned less, and the other half earned more.
Classified by the BLS as a 'Bright Outlook' occupation, the demand for surgical technologists is projected to grow by 12% between 2016 and 2026. That's twice the national average for all jobs, which is 6%. This means that your skills will be in demand wherever you live in the country. If you want to see the country, or you need to move around to suit your partner's job, this is an extremely good field to be in.
Things you can't see
Of course, it's not all about the money, is it? You will have to spend long hours on your tired feet, day and night. You may find yourself up to your elbows in blood or urine, sometimes maybe even both. There will be bad smells, unpleasant sights, and patients who don't make it. But there will also be exciting challenges.
Even the most seemingly tedious task, that of sterilizing instruments, will make interesting intellectual exercise. Not only will you need to know how to use an autoclave, you will need to know when that isn't the method of choice. Sometimes you will have to use ethylene oxide, and how to use it without blowing up your colleagues and everybody else in the hospital.
You will also never be bored. Some people weren't designed to sit at a desk all day. If you're one of them, you will love being a surgical technologist. Even when a routine operation is going well, no two patients are the same. Then there are life or death emergencies. Here, you need to keep on your toes and have your wits about you. You could help restore someone's eyesight, remove a tumor, or deliver a baby.
What it is about is making a difference in someone's life. In a natural disaster or major incident, being a surgical technologist gives you something more constructive to do than glue yourself to the television news and wring your hands in despair. You're in there helping people.
How can someone become a technologist?
If all this sounds good to you, you want to know the first step. Typically, surgical technologists need either an associate's degree or a postsecondary non-degree award. You could pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology. You could find yourself prepared and qualified to work as a surgical technologist in a hospital operating or delivery room, ambulatory surgical center, outpatient care center, or a doctor's or dentist's office.
In this course, which prepares you for the Certified Surgical Technologist qualifying exam, you will be taught:
- Terminology of surgical instruments and equipment
- Sterile barriers and aseptic technique
- Basic surgical anatomy and physiology
- The flow of surgical procedures
Are you interested in becoming a surgical technologist? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology, consider ECPI University for your education. For more information about getting started today, connect with a friendly and knowledgeable admissions advisor.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Surgical Technology - Associate’s
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