What Do Surgical Technologist Do?
Occupation Description Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeon’s assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
Life As a Surgical Technologist: What Do They Do?
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons’ assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Maintain files and records of surgical procedures.
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What a Surgical Technologist Should Know
When polled, Surgical Technologists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Certified Surgical Technician
- Surgeon’s Assistant
- Surgical Scrub Technician
- Surgical Technician
- Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech)
Surgical Technologist Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 107,700 jobs for Surgical Technologist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 11.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 12,600 new jobs for Surgical Technologist by 2026. There will be an estimated 10,000 positions for Surgical Technologist per year.
The states with the most job growth for Surgical Technologist are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Illinois, Rhode Island, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Surgical Technologist Salary
Surgical Technologists make between $32,870 and $69,170 a year.
Surgical Technologists who work in Alaska, California, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Surgical Technologists in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,630 |
| Alaska | $63,930 |
| Arizona | $50,680 |
| Arkansas | $42,720 |
| California | $60,940 |
| Colorado | $53,620 |
| Connecticut | $56,750 |
| Delaware | $47,250 |
| District of Columbia | $59,280 |
| Florida | $44,030 |
| Georgia | $44,830 |
| Hawaii | $54,240 |
| Idaho | $51,330 |
| Illinois | $49,730 |
| Indiana | $45,640 |
| Iowa | $41,080 |
| Kansas | $42,290 |
| Kentucky | $45,520 |
| Louisiana | $39,990 |
| Maine | $46,450 |
| Maryland | $56,130 |
| Massachusetts | $55,440 |
| Michigan | $43,280 |
| Minnesota | $58,630 |
| Mississippi | $39,700 |
| Missouri | $43,070 |
| Montana | $49,440 |
| Nebraska | $45,280 |
| Nevada | $59,040 |
| New Hampshire | $50,660 |
| New Jersey | $53,740 |
| New Mexico | $44,110 |
| New York | $55,310 |
| North Carolina | $43,940 |
| North Dakota | $45,000 |
| Ohio | $47,400 |
| Oklahoma | $41,800 |
| Oregon | $54,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,940 |
| Rhode Island | $50,700 |
| South Carolina | $39,970 |
| South Dakota | $40,970 |
| Tennessee | $43,860 |
| Texas | $49,410 |
| Utah | $44,300 |
| Vermont | $43,880 |
| Virginia | $50,790 |
| Washington | $58,320 |
| West Virginia | $37,390 |
| Wisconsin | $53,870 |
| Wyoming | $43,430 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Surgical Technologists
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Surgical Technologists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Database software
- MEDITECH software
- Graphics software
- Google Drive
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Internet browser software
- Patient tracking software
- Supply documentation software
- Surgery workflow communication software
- Nursing documentation software
- Patient scheduling software
Becoming a Surgical Technologist
What kind of Surgical Technologist requirements are there?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Surgical Technologist?
Where Surgical Technologists Work
Below are examples of industries where Surgical Technologists work:
You May Also Be Interested In…
Career changers with experience as a Surgical Technologist sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
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