Spotlights
Certified Surgical Technician, Certified Surgical Technologist (CST), Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St), Operating Room Technician (OR Tech), Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech), Surgical Scrub Technician, Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech), Surgical Technician, Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech)
Performing surgery on a patient takes extreme focus, which is why surgeons work as part of a larger healthcare team. Each team member has their own unique role, from the surgeon to the anesthesiologist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, operating room nurse, physician assistant, and others. The job of the Surgical Technologist—also known as the Operating Room Tech or “scrub tech”—is to arrive early, review requirements for the day’s procedures, gather the needed tools and equipment, then carefully prep patients, equipment, and the room itself.
During the surgery, they may hand sterile instruments or supplies to the surgeon or their assistant. They may also perform basic steps such as suctioning blood from an incision. As the procedure is being completed, Surgical Technologists take stock of all items to ensure everything is accounted for. They may then help apply bandages, take patients to their recovery area, and return to stock the operating room for the next surgery.
- Ensuring proper medical instruments and equipment are ready
- Keeping patients safe by maintaining a sterile environment
- Làm việc như một phần của đội ngũ y tế giúp đỡ bệnh nhân và cứu sống
Lịch làm việc
Surgical Technologists work full-time, with shifts that may start very early. If working in an ER, they may be assigned to night, weekend, or holiday shifts.
Nhiệm vụ tiêu biểu
- Ensure instruments are kept sterile during medical operations
- Take inventory of all supplies and instruments used before and after surgery, to ensure nothing was left inside a patient
- Perform scrub cleaning on other team members’ hands and arms
- Assist others with putting on masks, gloves, and gowns so they don’t have to touch anything
- Prep patients for their operations. Assist with getting them onto the table and covering them up. Wash and disinfect incision sites
- As needed, give sterile instruments or supplies to surgeons or their assistants
- Ensure needed solutions and fluid supplies such as saline, blood, or plasma are on hand
- Assist with holding various instruments steady while the surgeon is operating
- Manage tissue specimens needed for lab analysis
- Clean and sterilize operating room equipment
- Anticipate needs during surgical procedures
- Aid with applying bandages to patients after surgery
- Keep all relevant medical supplies in stock. Reorder, as needed
- Review the daily schedule of surgeries and ensure all necessary instruments, supplies, and equipment will be on hand
- Organize and transfer appropriate instruments, supplies, and equipment to the operating room and arrange items according to the scheduled procedure
- Keep an eye on equipment to ensure proper functioning. Adjust, as needed
- Take note of the patient vital signs
Trách nhiệm bổ sung
- Train new technologists
- Stay up-to-date on relevant industry changes
- Maintain physical and electronic records
Kỹ năng mềm
- Phân tích
- Định hướng tuân thủ
- Định hướng chi tiết
- Cần cù
- Độc lập
- Tính toàn vẹn
- Phương pháp
- Tinh ý
- Tổ chức
- Kiên nhẫn
- Ý thức an toàn
- Phán đoán đúng đắn
- Stamina
- Kỹ năng giao tiếp mạnh mẽ
Kỹ năng kỹ thuật
- Biological waste handling
- Phần mềm truy vấn cơ sở dữ liệu
- Electronic medical records and patient tracking
- Familiarity with IV fluids such as saline, blood, plasma, and glucose
- Medical bandaging
- Medical instrument terminology and usage
- Medical sanitation and disinfection
- Operating surgery-related medical equipment
- Patient vital signs
- Personal protective equipment usage
- Scrub procedures
- Supply ordering procedures and programs
- Surgery workflow communication programs
- Hospitals and surgical centers (including emergency rooms, intensive care units, and labor/delivery units)
- Trung tâm chăm sóc ngoại trú
- Private practices (including dental, vision, and plastic surgery)
Whether it’s open surgery or minimally invasive, surgical operations are inherently risky due to a myriad of factors. Among these is the risk of patient infection from hazardous germs. Patients are already in a compromised state when they’re laying on a table under anesthesia, so surgical teams must do everything possible to mitigate the risk by being organized and following stringent protocols.
Surgical Technologists play a crucial role in this endeavor and must know and follow very methodical procedures to ensure patient safety. Surgical Technologists are at risk themselves, frequently exposed to chemicals, all manner of germs, and potentially hazardous biological materials such as blood or bodily fluids.
Around the world, hospitals have been grappling with the problem of keeping areas free from germs and infectious diseases. Many have needed to strengthen their cleaning practices to avoid having patients exposed to healthcare-acquired infections, which can be fatal in some cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stressed that healthcare institutions closely follow hygiene precautions to protect both patients and healthcare workers. A few trends on this front include the use of continuously active disinfection chemicals and materials. Complimenting these measures, hospitals are turning to innovative disinfectant delivery methods such as misting systems and ultraviolet technology.
Surgical Technologists were most likely very tidy people who liked to keep things organized. They were probably patient and calm, able to focus on tasks with great attention to detail. They may have enjoyed being part of group activities in school because they work well on teams and are comfortable with juggling responsibilities.
Giáo dục cần thiết
- Surgical Technologists need to complete a certificate or associate’s degree program at a vocational school, community college, university, or hospital
- Programs must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
- Training may last from one year for a certificate to two years for an associate’s degree (if going full-time)
- Note, some programs may feature an expedited curriculum, but make sure they are accredited and meet state licensing or regulatory requirements
- Nhiều lớp học có thể được thực hiện trực tuyến, nhưng trải nghiệm thực tế có thể được ưu tiên cho một số chủ đề
- Các lớp học phổ biến bao gồm:
- Giải phẫu học
- Làm sạch và khử trùng
- Khử nhiễm và khử trùng
- Kiểm soát và phòng ngừa nhiễm trùng
- Quản lý hàng tồn kho
- Thuật ngữ y học và phẫu thuật
- Vi sinh vật học
- Chăm sóc bệnh nhân
- Medical equipment setup
- Sinh lý học
- Sử dụng và bảo quản dụng cụ phẫu thuật
- Some jobs require techs to have CPR/Basic Life Support training
- Surgical Techs can either work in general surgery or specialize in an area such as cardiology, neurosurgery, organ transplants, orthopedics, pediatrics, or plastic surgery
- Optional certifications can boost one’s odds of getting hired. Certifying organizations include:
- National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting - Certified Surgical Technologist
- National Center for Competency Testing - Tech in Surgery
- Many Surgical Techs learn their trade as enlisted members in a branch of the military
- Surgical Technologists don’t need a four-year degree from a university to get started. Students can complete a certificate or associate’s at a local community college or vocational training school
- Các cân nhắc chung bao gồm học phí (mức giá trong tiểu bang / ngoài tiểu bang), giảm giá, học bổng và các lựa chọn cung cấp khóa học (trong khuôn viên trường, trực tuyến hoặc chương trình kết hợp)
- Ideally, you’ll want a program that offers hands-on work experience
- Học sinh trung học có thể chuẩn bị bằng cách tham gia các lớp học về sức khỏe, sinh học, hóa học và khoa học máy tính
- Quyết định xem bạn muốn đăng ký vào chương trình chứng chỉ hay chương trình cấp bằng cao đẳng tại một trường cao đẳng cộng đồng, trường dạy nghề hoặc trường đại học
- Nói chuyện với nhân viên chương trình về các cơ hội làm việc, nơi bạn có thể học các kỹ năng công việc trong thế giới thực khi học
- Apply for part-time jobs working with healthcare settings to gain experience and have some work history on your resume
- Bắt đầu một chương trình tập thể dục, nơi bạn có thể xây dựng sức chịu đựng cần thiết để đứng và làm việc trên đôi chân của mình trong thời gian dài hoặc thiết bị di chuyển
- Giữ một danh sách các địa chỉ liên hệ (bao gồm số điện thoại hoặc email) những người có thể đóng vai trò là người giới thiệu công việc trong tương lai
- Check out articles and video tutorials about surgical procedures and think about areas you might want to specialize in
- Get started on a draft resume early and keep track of the skills you learn
- Have your education, training, and relevant certification completed
- Hỏi giảng viên hoặc trung tâm hướng nghiệp của trường bạn để biết các mẹo về cách kết nối với nhà tuyển dụng
- Hãy cho mạng lưới chuyên nghiệp của bạn biết rằng bạn đang tìm kiếm việc làm
- Review job portals such as Indeed, Glassdoor, HospitalCareers, and HealthJobsNationwide
- Look at the career pages of local hospitals and surgeon’s offices
- Tìm kiếm cơ hội học nghề
- Consider speaking with a military recruiter about Surgical Technology jobs
- Giữ cho phương tiện truyền thông xã hội của bạn sạch sẽ và chuyên nghiệp, trong trường hợp các nhà tuyển dụng có cái nhìn thoáng qua
- Review Surgical Technologist resume templates
- Read Surgical Technologist interview questions, learn your career-related terminology, and practice your answers
- Hãy nhớ xin phép các tài liệu tham khảo tiềm năng trước khi cung cấp thông tin liên hệ của họ
- Thực hành thực hiện một vài cuộc phỏng vấn giả với bạn bè hoặc người thân
- Ăn mặc chuyên nghiệp cho các cuộc phỏng vấn
- Talk with your supervisor and let them know your career goals. Ask for their advice on how to move up
- Earn a certification in a hard-to-fill specialty area
- Note, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that techs will be increasingly needed to help with older patients in the years to come
- Advancement opportunities for Surgical Technologists include working as a surgical assistant or nurse, which will require additional training. Becoming a registered nurse will mean returning to college to earn a BS in Nursing to qualify for licensure in most states
- Nắm vững nhiệm vụ của bạn, đúng giờ và tuân theo tất cả các quy trình vệ sinh trong thư
- Stay up-to-date on relevant hospital or clinic policies and procedures
- Study manufacturer and software guides for medical equipment you operate
- Ask lots of questions and keep learning from other members of the surgical team
- Demonstrate leadership and train new staff diligently
- Get engaged with professional organizations. Attend events, volunteer to give speeches, hold positions on committees, and get articles published to advance your reputation
Các trang web
- American Board for Transplant Certification
- American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion
- American Board of Surgical Assistants
- Association of Surgical Technologists
- Chứng nhận tim mạch quốc tế
- Trung tâm Kiểm soát và Phòng ngừa Dịch bệnh
- Hội đồng chứng nhận về chế biến và phân phối vô trùng
- Ủy ban Công nhận các Chương trình Giáo dục Sức khỏe Đồng minh
- Hiệp hội chế biến vô trùng chăm sóc sức khỏe
- Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology
- Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board
- Hội đồng quốc gia chứng nhận kỹ thuật viên chỉnh hình
- National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting
- Trung tâm Kiểm tra Năng lực Quốc gia
- National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants
Sách vở
- Pocket Guide to the Operating Room, by Maxine A. Goldman BS RN
- Surgical Technology, by Joanna Kotcher Fuller
- Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist: A Positive Care Approach, by Association of Surgical Technologists
Working as a Surgical Technologist can be exciting but exhausting work! If you’re curious about additional healthcare careers, below are a few popular examples to consider:
- Kỹ thuật viên và Kỹ thuật viên Tim mạch
- Kỹ thuật viên và Kỹ thuật viên Phòng thí nghiệm Lâm sàng
- Trợ lý nha khoa
- Siêu âm y tế chẩn đoán
- Kỹ thuật viên nội soi
- Y tá dạy nghề được cấp phép và được cấp phép
- Trợ lý y tế
- Người chuẩn bị thiết bị y tế
- Bác sĩ và bác sĩ phẫu thuật
- Y tá đã đăng ký
- Trợ lý phẫu thuật
- Kỹ thuật viên phẫu thuật