Surgical technologists set up the operating room, pass instruments, and keep the sterile field safe during surgery. A room cannot start a case without one.
Hospitals and surgery centers employ most of them. Specialty cases such as heart or brain surgery need techs with experience in that service.
The work
You open the case, count instruments and sponges, and pass what the surgeon needs before they ask for it. Then you count everything again before the incision is closed.
Call and add-on cases are common in hospitals, including nights and weekends. Surgery centers usually run a tighter and steadier daytime schedule.
License and training
Most states do not license surgical technologists, but several require certification or registration. Employers often want the CST from NBSTSA. Confirm the rule in your state.
Questions
What is a CST?
Certified Surgical Technologist, the NBSTSA credential. Several states require certification or registration.
Do surgical techs specialize?
Many do. Heart, brain, and orthopedic cases often need techs who already have experience in that service.
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