A Surgical Technician is also known as a surgical technologist or an operating room technician. You may have heard them referred to as “scrubs”. Surgical Technicians have many responsibilities as part of the operating room team. They prepare the room itself. They prepare the patient. And they even have duties in preparing the surgeon and other members of the team. They have to set up the surgical instruments and any equipment that will be used as well as check the equipment to verify that it is all in working order. The patient needs to be brought to the operating room, washed, and shaved to prepare for the incision. The surgical team will need gloves and gowns. While doing all these things, the Surgical Tech should be watching the patient’s vital statistics too.
During the surgery they might hold things, cut things, or count things. They also might be responsible for taking something to the lab or for discarding unnecessary things. They also might be used to help operate equipment. The Surgical Technician is most certainly a multi function member of the team.
Advancement can be obtained in this profession. With extra training or specialized education the Surgical Technician can become a surgical first assistant or a circulator. As a surgical first assistant the technician would carry out activities to assist the surgeon in having the safest operation that is possible. This could include aiding in exposure, controlling blood flow, and stopping or preventing a hemorrhage. The circulator is the only non sterile member of the operating room team. This person carries out duties that can only be done by someone who does not have to stay sterile. The circulator interviews the patient before surgery so that during the surgery he or she can answer any questions that the surgeon may have about the patient personally. They also keep the written record of the surgery as it progresses. In addition, the circulator is responsible for opening the sterile packaging of any items needed during surgery so that the sterile members of the team can reach in to get the sterile items out of the package. Surgical Technicians could also advance into management positions at the hospital or could go into positions in various services that may have a tie to surgeries or the equipment used in surgeries. As an example, they may work for insurance companies that have questions or concerns about the surgery.
Surgical Technicians can be employed in a variety of settings. They are, of course, usually employed at hospitals but can also work at centers for outpatient surgery. Some might work with physicians or dentists who do in office surgeries. On occasion there are those technicians who are able to work on special surgical teams. These teams perform surgery of a specialized type such as heart or liver transplants.
Working as a Surgical Technician you can expect to earn at least $27,000 per year and as much as $54,000. The average surgical technician salary will vary due to common factors you would find in any job. Salary variables include job experience, job location, schooling and background as well as geographic location. There is a large difference from the starting surgical technician salary to the experienced veterans surgical technician salaries. Keep in mind that you can move up quickly with promotions allowing you to take on more job responsibilities that will in turn result in a higher annual salary.
