Healthcare Professionals Competency Testing (HPCT) is a certifying agency that offers national certifications to allied healthcare professionals including national certification exam for surgical technologist Surgical Technicians, Clinical Medical Assistants, Medical Administrative Assistants, EKG technicians, Patient Care Technicians, Pharmacy Technicians, Phlebotomy Technicians, and Sterile Processors. With HPCT, Surgical technologists are able to sit for their national certifying examination before the completion of their scrubs. Surgical Technicians perform various tasks before, during and after surgery. They ensure an infection-free environment during surgery. They also make sure the surgeon’s needs during surgery are met to ensure a safe environment for the patient. Visit https://nationalhpct.com/surgical-technician
The employment rates for surgical technologists is growing very fast, and there are training programs that last between 9 and 24 months that will lead to a certificate, diploma, or associate’s degree. Although most jobs will still be found at hospitals, it is expected that more jobs will be opening in other healthcare industries as well.
Surgical technologists are there to help surgeons, nurses, and other people involved in the surgical procedure. They work in operating rooms with surgeons, circulating nurses, and anesthesiologists.
Surgical techs work before the surgery takes places by making sure that the operating room is set up properly with all needed surgical equipment and instruments, sterile solutions, and sterile drapes. They are responsible for putting together both sterile and non-sterile equipment, and have to be certain that it is in good working order.
Often, surgical technologists also get the patient ready to have surgery by disinfecting places where incision will be made, and also shaving and washing the surgery site. They also take the patient to the operating room, place them on the operating table, and make sure they are covered with the right sterile drapes. They also make certain that the patient’s vital signs are good, look over charts, and assist the surgical team in putting on surgical gloves and gowns.
There are several different places in which people can earn their degree to be a surgical technician. These can be in community colleges, vocational schools, hospitals, universities, and the military. As I said above, there are also accredited programs that take between 9 to 24 months that can lead to a diploma, associate’s degree, or certificate. Usually, high school graduation is needed to enroll in such courses.
Programs such as these give both clinical experience, and classroom training. Courses taken are physiology, anatomy, microbiology, professional ethics, medical terminology, and pharmacology. Students, in addition, learn how to properly sterilize instruments, learn ways to prevent and check infection, as well as learn how to handle special supplies, drugs, solutions, and equipment.
For the best chance at getting a surgical technologist job, you should be a certified technologist. These certifications can be obtained through the Liaison Council on Certificate for the Surgical Technologist after graduating from a program that has been CAAHEP accredited, and they have to pass a national certification exam. Surgical technologists must either take the recertifying exam after four years, or take 60 hours of approved education that is used to continue their learning.
Salaries for surgical technicians vary by region and expertise, but average wages were about $38,000 in May of 2008. The middle 50 percent made between $32,000 and $46,000. The most money was made in specialty hospitals, and dentist’s offices were the lowest. The actual wage a graduate makes will be dependent on where they work, what area of surgery they work in, and their experience in the field.
Pursing a job as a surgical technologist can be an excellent choice if you feel like this could be a job that appeals to you. However, it is not for everyone, since if you do not like your job, you are quite certain to eventually begin to hate it, and wish you had chosen some other line of work. Before deciding on a career, make sure that it is something that you have a passion for, and then reap the rewards of a good job with great pay. Your next step should be to visit websites that cover the surgical tech career in more detail.
When one thinks of surgery, images of doctors and nurses working side by side are often brought to mind. There is one actor, however, that is lesser known but still plays a crucial role in the surgery process: that of the surgical technician.
The role of the surgical technician is a relatively new one, emerging largely out of the need for additional personnel to help with surgical procedures during war time. As many female nurses were often not allowed to assist doctor’s on the battlefield, male operating room technicians were trained to take their place in many of these situations. The role of the operating room technician, sometimes called a “scrub”, was to prepare the surgical instruments by making sure they were clean and sterilized, helping with some minor surgical processes such as suturing, and assisting the physicians with tools and the care of patients as directed. Most of these operating room technicians were trained only briefly prior to working in the operating room, and much of their experience was gained on the job.
Today, however, the role of the surgical technologist is not limited only to males. Furthermore, training to become a surgical technologist has advanced and professional associations have also emerged to certify training and qualifications. In 1968 the first such association was created, known as the “Association of Operating Room Technicians.” In 1973, the organization formally changed their name to the “Association of Surgical Technologists” which remains one of the most important associations for those working in this field.
Starting in 1974, formal accreditation of surgical technology coursework came into existence. Initially this coursework was in the form of a two year associate’s degree in surgical technology and assisting. Today, however, there is also a formal certification exam administered by the National Board of Surgical Technologists and Surgical Assistants. If you choose to pursue being formally certified, you will need to update your certification every four years through reexamination. Although many surgical technologists today receive generalized training and certification, there is some specialized training available for those interested in very advanced fields such as neurosurgery. Those that receive this specialized training are likely to find positions that are better paying as well.
Over the past fifty years or so, the field of surgical technology has undergone many changes and is now an important occupation for men and women alike. It is an ideal occupation for those interested in working in a surgical environment without studying to become a physician or nurse.