Choosing a fast track career such as that of a surgical technologist is a great opportunity for anyone contemplating on returning back to school to further their education. Any career in the medical field is expected to grow faster than average, meaning that the demand for people with the skills needed will also grow faster than average.
You must be self-motivated and willing to take the initiative to get the correct education that will allow you to become certified as a surgical technician. No doubt you may wonder, what is the overall outlook, schooling, nature of the work and salary for a surgical technician? Below you will find information on the key to good job placement, variables in annual salaries along with the different levels of schooling and job locations.
Surgical Technician Job Description
Surgical technicians are also known as scrubs, operating room technicians and surgical technologists, however each job description or title is still the same and the fact that they assist in surgical operations under the direct supervision of surgeons, registered nurses or other qualified surgical personnel. As a surgical technician, it is important that you’re able to work as a team, because it is the nature of the job that you work along side other members of operating room teams. Other team members will include anesthesiologists, circulating nurses and surgeons.
In a typical workday for a surgical technician, it will be your responsibility to help repair the operating room by setting up any necessary equipment or instruments that may be needed during an operation procedure. You may assemble sterile or nonsterile equipment as well as calibrating them and making sure that they are working properly. It may also be your responsibility to transport patients from their room to the operating room while helping to position them on the operating table and even covering them with surgical drapes. At this point it is your job to observe the patient’s vital signs, check stats and charts and be able to help the surgical team put on sale equipment including gloves and gowns. Heavier job responsibility comes with experience and time. It is important to keep in mind that earning these heavier responsibilities in your workplace will result in a higher average surgical technician salary.
As a surgical technician, you must learn to be clean as it is vital that your work area and environment be clean, well lighted and organized. You will likely spend most of your workday standing on your feet for long periods of time. You must be able to stay alert for long periods of time during operations as well as being conscious of the fact that you will be working around communicable diseases and be forced to see unpleasant sights and smell unpleasant odors. A typical work week for a surgical technologist usually consists of a regular 40 hour work week. However, keep in mind that many surgical technicians may have to work nights, weekends and holidays as well as being on call many times.
Surgical Technician Training
The education and training required to become a surgical technologist can be received from a multitude of places that include community colleges, hospitals, universities, vocational and technical schools as well as the military. In general a surgical technician program will last anywhere from 9 to 24 months and can lead to a certificate, diploma, or an Associates degree. If you are currently in school now and are considering a career as a surgical technician, some high school courses recommended for this career field are that health, biology, chemistry and math.
Typical surgical technician training classes or programs offer hands on training and supervised clinical experience. You will take courses in anatomy, microbiology, physiology, professional ethics and medical terminology among others. Beyond basic surgical technician training, a technologist may choose to specialize in a particular area of surgery such as neurosurgery or open-heart surgery. Specializing in a particular area of surgery will require additional training, that will in turn be more in demand and in place for a higher-paying surgical technician salary.
Surgical Technician Certification
A surgical technician certification can be obtained from the liaison Council on certification for the surgical technologist by graduating from a program that is accredited by the CAAHEP if they pass the national certification examination. Once a certification has been earned, you must maintain your certification. In order to do this certified surgical technologist must earn 60 hours of approved continuing education over a four year period, or instead of taking continued education you can opt to retake the certifying exam at the end of the four year period.
Surgical Technician Job Outlook
In a competitive field such as that of surgical technicians and technologists, job opportunities will always be best for one who is certified and are willing to relocate the only themselves but their family and the pursuit of job opportunities. In most cases, hospitals will be the primary employer of surgical technicians. Employment opportunities for surgical technicians is expected to grow faster and offices of physicians, outpatient care centers and ambulatory surgical centers.
As our nation’s population grows and ages the number of surgical procedures is only expected to rise in coming years. The rise and surgical procedures to take place within call for skilled technicians in the surgical field. The employment of surgical technicians is expected to grow by 25% in the next 10 years, clearly showing that there will be a demand for those who are certified and have the skills to enter into this job field.
Surgical Technician Salary
As with any career choice, salary is subjective too many variables that come into play. Variables such as job location, geographic location, certification level, job experience and job demand. A surgical technician salary is subjective to these variables as well, and should be taken into consideration before one might pursue a career as a technician.
Surgical technician salaries will range between an average of $32,000 per year to about $54,000 per year. The median annual wages of a surgical technician were closer to $39,000 per year, while some surgical technician salary wages were as low as $28,000 per year. Only a small percentage of surgical technicians earned more than $50,000 per year and was only paid to those surgical Techs who are specialists working in larger hospitals.
Pursuing a career in the medical field has perks and the benefit areas as well including paid vacation, sick leave, health insurance that includes medical, vision, dental and life insurance. Most time jobs will include a retirement program and may even include tuition reimbursement along with childcare benefits.
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