National
| Median wages (2008) |
$18.62 hourly, $38,740 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
86,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Much faster than average (21% or higher)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
47,000 additional employees |
29-2055.00 - Surgical Technologists
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.
Sample of reported job titles:
Surgical Technologist (CST), Surgical Technician, Certified Surgical Technologist (CST), Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St), Surgical Scrub Technologist, Surgical Scrub Technician, Endoscopic Technologist, Operating Room Technician (OR Tech)
Tasks
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
- Wash and sterilize equipment using germicides and sterilizers.
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
- Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, and diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipment or accessories or related products — Argon beam coagulators; Electrosurgical grounding pads; Spark-gap electrosurgical units; Thermal cautery units |
| Staplers for internal use — Hemorrhoidal circular staplers; Intraluminal staplers; Linear staplers; Skin staplers |
| Surgical lasers or accessories — Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers; Eye lasers; Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Nd:YAG lasers; Surgical lasers |
| Surgical pneumatic or battery or electric saws or drills or pin drivers or accessories — Craniotome drills; Neurotome drills; Orthopedic drills; Sternal saws |
| Surgical suction machines or vacuum extractors or ultrasonic surgical aspirators or regulators or accessories — Cavitrons; Portable suction units; Slow suction units; Surgical aspirators |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Data base user interface and query software — Database software |
| Graphics or photo imaging software — Graphics software |
| Internet browser software |
| Medical software — Nursing documentation software; Patient tracking software; Supply documentation software; Surgery workflow communication software |
| Word processing software |
