JOB DESCRIPTION

Assist operating room staff throughout surgical procedures by preparing the patient, equipment, and supplies; handing instruments to the surgeon, holding retractors, and cutting sutures. After the operation, they clean the operating room, sterilize equipment, and count all supplies and instruments.

SKILLS AND APTITUDES NEEDED

Basic knowledge of chemistry, mathematics, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, professional ethics, and medical terminology Manual dexterity Must be conscientious, orderly, and emotionally stable to handle the demands of the operating room environment

Surgical technicians, also called surgical technologists, assist in operations under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. Before an operation, technicians help set up the operating room with surgical instruments and equipment, sterile linens, and sterile solutions. They assemble, adjust, and check nonsterile equipment to ensure it is working properly. They prepare patients for surgery by washing, shaving, and disinfecting incision sites. They transport patients to the operating room, help position them on the operating table, and cover them with sterile surgical linens. They observe patients’ vital signs, check charts, and help the surgical team scrub and put on gloves, gowns, and masks.

Technicians help prepare, care for, and dispose of specimens taken for laboratory analysis and may help apply dressings. Some operate sterilizers, lights, or suction machines, and help operate diagnostic equipment. They may also maintain supplies of fluid, such as plasma and blood. At times, they may be exposed to communicable diseases and unpleasant sights, odors, and materials.