Career Profile: Surgical Technologist

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Everyday life in a hospital is complete and absolute chaos. There are doctors and nurses running everywhere to treat patients, ambulances coming through every so often, children and patients crying, and surgeons telling a family that their loved one did not make it. However, outside of all that craziness is an operating room (OR). A place filled with pressure, intensity, high hopes, and stress. There to help control the environment is a surgical technologist. While preparing patients for surgery, surgical technologists manage the equipment and operating room, follow the instructions of the surgeon, and ensure the safety of the patient.

Surgical technologists are members of the surgical team who work in the operating room with surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other personnel before, during and after surgery. Techs are basically considered the surgeons “right hand man”. They may prepare a patient for surgery by washing, shaving, and disinfecting where the incision may be. They arrange the equipment, instruments, and supplies in the operating room according to the preference of the surgeons and nurses (Ferguson 537). During the operation, they count all equipment used, and hold retractors and cut sutures as directed. Following the operation, they may clean and restock the OR and sterilize the used equipment (Ferguson 538).

Being a surgical technologist requires certain characteristics such as, patience, responsibility, stamina, stable temper, and a desire to help others. Surgical technologists must pay attention to details, have good organizational skills, and be very attentive during long surgeries (Hayes 842). Employment is expected to grow much faster than average. Job opportunities will be best for those how are cert...

... middle of paper ...

...amily that all is going to be okay. Just around the corner from a waiting room is an OR, a surgical techs “home away from home”, a place where miracles happen.

Works Cited

Bureau of Labor Statistics. Surgical Technologists. U.S. Department of Labor.

April 12, 2011. Web. 12 Jan 2012. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos.htm

Ferguson. “Surgical Technologists.” Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidances,

14th edition. New York: InfoBase Publishing 2008. Print.

Hayes, David. “Surgical Technologists”. Exploring Health Care Careers. Chicago.

Ferguson Publishing Company. 1998. Print.

Mayo School of Health Sciences. Surgical Technology Career Overview. 2012. Web.

12 Jan 2012. http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/surg-career.html

Terri. Email interview. 22 Jan 2012.

Tuition and Fees. 2012. Web. 29 Jan 2012.

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