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All About Surgical Technologists

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.

Surgical Technologist Responsibilities

Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.
Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
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.
Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.

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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Surgical Technologist?

These are the skills Surgical Technologists say are the most useful in their careers:

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.

Operating Room Technician (OR Tech)
Surgical Technician
Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech)
Surgical Scrub Technician
Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech)

Job Opportunities for Surgical Technologists

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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 10,000 job openings in this field each 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.

Salary for a Surgical Technologist

The salary for Surgical Technologists ranges between about $32,870 and $69,170 a year.

Surgical Technologists who work in Alaska, California, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.

How much do Surgical Technologists make in each U.S. state?

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

What Tools & Technology do Surgical Technologists Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Surgical Technologists:

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

How do I Become a Surgical Technologist?

Education needed to be a Surgical Technologist:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Career changers with experience as a Surgical Technologist sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

Nuclear Medicine Technologists

References:

Image Credit: via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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