Surgical Technicians
Nature of the Work
Surgical technicians, also called surgical technologists or operating room
technicians, assist surgeons, anesthesiologists, and others before, during, and after
surgery. They work principally under the supervision of registered nurses.
They help set up the operating room with surgical instruments, equipment, sterile
linens, and fluids such as glucose that will be needed during an operation. Surgical
technicians 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 hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count the sponges,
needles, supplies, and instruments used during the operation. Surgical technicians help
prepare, care for, and dispose of specimens taken for laboratory analysis during the
operation and help apply dressings. They may operate sterilizers, lights, suction machines,
and assist with the operation of diagnostic equipment.
After the operation, surgical technicians 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 technicians work in clean, well-lighted, cool environments. They need
stamina to be on their feet the whole time they are on duty and to pay close attention to
detail during operations.
Most surgery is performed during the day, but some work places, such as
emergency surgical units, require 24-hour coverage. A 40-hour, 5-day work week is normal
for surgical technicians, although many are required at times to be "on call" (available to
work on short notice for emergencies).
Employment
Surgical technicians held about 36,000 jobs in 1990. In a few regions of the country,
technicians 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 technicians receive their training in formal programs offered by community
and junior colleges, vocational and technical schools, or hospitals. Although most programs
last from 9 to 10 months, some community college programs last 2 years and lead to an
associate degree. In 1990, there were 203 training programs for surgical technicians, of
which 103 were accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation
of the American Medical Association. High school graduation normally is required for
admission.
Accredited programs provide classroom training as well as supervised clinical
experience. Required courses include anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. Other
courses include the care and safety of patients during surgery, use of anesthesia and its
hazards, 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 technicians 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 technicians are trained in the Armed Forces. Regardless of where
they are educated and trained, surgical technicians 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 complex procedures such as open heart surgery.
Obtaining professional credentials for this occupation is voluntary; the Liaison
Council on Certification certifies technicians who demonstrate entry level knowledge by
successfully passing a national certification examination. Continuing education or
examination is required to maintain certification, which must be renewed every 6 years.
Manual dexterity is a necessity for surgical technicians 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 and biology.
Some surgical technicians advance to supervisory or administrative positions. They
may be promoted to operating room administrator, for example, who deals with the day-to-
day running of an operating room, or they may direct a hospitalwide sterile supply service.
Job Outlook
Employment in this field is expected to grow much faster than the average for all
occupations through the year 2000. 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 technicians will be affected by both the rising volume
of surgery and shifts in surgical practice patterns. The number of surgical procedures is
expected to grow rapidly due to population growth, the increasing number of older people,
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 above.
Elderly patients typically undergo surgery for cataracts, hip replacements, hernia repair, or
prostate repair or removal, for example. 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-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 laser technology, fiber optics, and
anesthesia have made it possible for many more procedures to be performed on an
outpatient basis, while the effort to contain health care costs has created a powerful
incentive to do so. 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.
As a result, a growing number of surgical procedures are being performed by surgeons in
hospital outpatient departments, which employ surgical technicians as assistants.
Ambulatory surgery is performed in physicians' offices, clinics, and freestanding
surgicenters, but relatively few surgical technicians are employed in these settings.
Depending on how much surgery shifts away from hospitals, therefore, job growth fur
surgical technicians could be curtailed--despite the rising volume of surgery.
Cost-cutting measures within hospitals could also dampen employment growth:
Some hospitals are trying to hold down labor costs by reducing the number of employees
with only one skill and putting greater emphasis on "multicompetent" staff who have the
training to perform a variety of tasks. In the operating room, this could mean greater
reliance on registered nurses and fewer positions for nursing assistants and surgical
technicians.
Earnings
The average starting salary for surgical technicians was about $15,400 a year in
1990, according to a national survey by the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Experienced technicians earned an average salary of approximately $20,900 annually.
Salaries vary widely by geographic location, with those on the east and west coasts
generally higher. Surgical technicians employed by surgeons tend to earn more than those
employed by hospitals and similar institutions.
Related Occupations
Other workers who perform medical activities under supervision are chiropractor
assistants, dental assistants, electrocardiograph technicians, electroencephalographic
technologists, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants, nursing aides, occupational
therapy assistants, orderlies, and physical therapy aides.
Sources of Additional Information
Additional information on a career as a surgical technician, on training programs for
the occupation, and on certification is available from:
Association of Surgical Technologists, 8307 Shaffer Parkway, Caller No. E,
Littleton, Colo. 80120.
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