Nature of the Work:
Surgical technologists work with, and under the supervision of, surgeons or registered nurses. They help set up the operating room with surgical instruments, equipment, sterile linens, and fluids such as saline (a salt solution), or glucose (a sugar solution). Surgical technologists also may prepare patients for surgery by washing, shaving, and disinfecting body areas where the surgeon will operate. They may transport patients to the operating room and help drape them and position them on the operating table.
During surgery, they pass instruments and other sterile supplies to the surgeons and the surgeons' assistants. They may hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count the sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments used during the operation. Surgical technologists help prepare, care for, and dispose of specimens taken for laboratory analysis during the operation and may help apply dressings. At times, surgical technologists may operate sterilizers, lights, or suction machines, and help operate diagnostic equipment
After the operation, surgical technologists may help transfer patients to the recovery room and assist nurses in cleaning and stocking the operating room for the next operation.
Working Conditions:
Surgical technologists work in clean, well-lighted, cool environments. They need stamina to be on their feet, alert and able to concentrate, throughout operations that may last several hours.
Most surgery is performed during the day, but some workplaces, such as emergency surgical units, require 24-hour coverage. A 40-hour, 5-day workweek is normal for surgical technologists, although many are required at times to be on call (available to work on short notice for emergencies) during weekends and evenings on a rotating basis.
Employment:
In some regions of the country, technologists known as private scrubs are employed directly by surgeons. Most, however, are employed by hospitals and other places that have operating room, delivery room, and emergency room facilities.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement:
Nearly all technologists receive their training in formal programs offered by community and junior colleges, vocational and technical institutes, or hospitals. Most training programs for surgical technologists are accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association. High school graduation normally is required for admission. Although most programs last from 9 to 10 months, some community college programs last 2 years and lead to an associate degree.
Accredited programs provide classroom education as well as supervised clinical experience. Required courses include anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology. Other courses cover such topics as the care and safety of patients during surgery, aseptic techniques, and surgical care procedures. Students also learn how to sterilize instruments; prevent and control infection; and handle special drugs, solutions, supplies, and equipment.
Some surgical technologists receive their training in hospital-based programs that last from 6 months to 1 year, depending on the program's admission requirements. The shorter programs are designed for licensed practical nurses who already have some background in anatomy, physiology, and clinical practice. The longer programs, from 9 months to a year, are for individuals with no background in health care.
Some surgical technologists are trained in the Armed Forces. Regardless of where they are educated and trained, surgical technologists are expected to keep abreast of new developments in the field. With additional training, they can work with new equipment such as lasers and assist in the more complex procedures such as open heart surgery.
Obtaining professional credentials for this occupation is voluntary; the Liaison Council on Certification certifies technologists who demonstrate entry level knowledge by passing a national certification examination. Continuing education or reexamination is required to maintain certification, which must be renewed every 6 years.
Manual dexterity is a necessity for surgical technologists because they must handle instruments quickly, often having to anticipate which instrument is needed. They must be conscientious, orderly, and emotionally stable. In surgery, there is little margin for error. High school students interested in careers in this occupation are advised to take courses in health, biology, chemistry, and mathematics.
Career advancement for surgical technologists often involves leaving the occupation in order to take sales, consumer relations, or management positions with insurance companies, sterile supply services, or operating equipment firms. Some technologists advance by becoming instructors in surgical technology training programs. Other technologists go back to school to become registered nurses.
Job Outlook:
Employment in this field is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations. As in other occupations, most job openings will result from the need to replace experienced workers who transfer to other occupations or stop working altogether.
Future prospects for surgical technologists will be affected by the volume of surgery, surgical practice patterns, and the availability of operating room nurses. The number of surgical procedures is expected to rise due to projected changes in the size and age structure of the population, technological advances that permit surgical intervention for more conditions than ever before, and widespread insurance coverage for surgical care.
The rate of surgery has climbed steadily among persons 65 years of age and over. These elderly patients undergo surgery for cataracts, hip replacements, hernia repair, or prostate removal, to name a few typical procedures. As new procedures and improvements in technology continue to make surgery less risky and more successful, the potential benefits to elderly patients increasingly outweigh the risks. Rapid growth of the 65-years and over population in the years ahead is almost certain to sustain a high level of demand for surgery.
Surgical practice patterns are changing, however; the dominant trend is a shift to outpatient or ambulatory surgery. Advances in anesthesia, fiber optics, and laser technology have made it possible for many procedures to be performed on an outpatient basis, and cost control considerations furnish a powerful stimulus for choosing outpatient rather than inpatient surgery. Some health insurance plans, for example, cover the full cost of outpatient surgery but pay only part of the cost if the same procedure entails a hospital stay.
The growing popularity of outpatient or ambulatory surgery is especially evident in the hospital sector. Explosive growth is occurring in the number of outpatient surgical procedures performed in hospitals. Outpatient surgery is also performed in physicians' offices, clinics, and freestanding surgicenters, and demand for surgical technologists is expected to remain strong in all of these settings.
Shortages of operating room nurses may heighten the demand for surgical technologists. Hospitals and freestanding surgicenters unable to locate sufficient numbers of surgical nurses may alter operating room staffing patterns, increasing their utilization of surgical technologists. Thus, in communities experiencing a nursing shortage, opportunities for surgical technologists should be especially favorable.
Because so many factors are at work, the job market for surgical technologists will vary from one community to another, depending on local hiring needs and the supply of qualified applicants.
Employment prospects for graduates of accredited programs in surgical technology are expected to be very good, overall. Employers tend to view graduates of accredited training programs more favorably than those without such preparation.
Surgical technologists employed by hospitals receive the same fringe benefits as other hospital personnel, including health insurance, pension benefits, vacations, and sick leave. Some institutions provide tuition assistance, uniforms, and other benefits.
Related Occupations:
Other health occupations requiring approximately 1 year of training after high school are licensed practical nurse, respiratory therapy technician, medical laboratory assistant, medical assistant, dental assistant, optometric assistant, and physical therapy aide.
