Surgical Technician duties and responsibilities
A good Surgical Technician provides technical assistance to other medical professionals like Surgeons, Nurses and Anesthesiologists during surgeries. Some of the duties and responsibilities that a Surgical Technician is usually tasked with include:
- Helping to monitor and position patients during surgery
- Preparing and maintaining a sterile operating room
- Ensuring all instruments and supplies are available before any surgery
- Preparing the patient’s skin for surgery
- Providing the patient with pre-operative care
- Passing sterilized surgical instruments such as forceps and scalpels to Surgeons
- Correctly labelling samples obtained during surgical procedures and sending them for analysis
Surgical Technician skills and qualifications
Because of their job responsibilities, Surgical Technicians possess a wide variety of skills and qualifications. They are keen, attentive to detail and friendly, as they are often taking care of patients who are entering surgery and want to make them feel comfortable. Some skills a Surgical Technician needs to possess include:
- Certifications in First Aid and CPR
- Knowledge of sterile and aseptic techniques
- Knowledge of surgical instruments and how to use them
- Computer literacy
- Communication skills
- Empathy
- Attention to detail
- Outstanding organization skills
- Excellent time management skills
Along with these skills, becoming a Surgical Technician you might require applicants to earn certifications. Some of these might include:
- CPR certification
- First-aid certification
- Basic life support certification
Surgical Technician experience requirements
The ideal candidate for a surgical technician job has a minimum of 3 years of experience working as a surgical technician in a hospital or outpatient operating room. This shows their familiarity with the fast-paced work environment where they will continue to develop their skills.
Surgical Technician education and training requirements
The ideal Surgical Technician candidate will have completed a surgical technician certification at an accredited institution. These programs can take between 1-2 years and might require passing exams to show competence in the subject areas. Alternatively, they may have completed an operating room technician certification, which offers similar skills and training. A CPR certification is also crucial for candidates as some technicians may need to provide CPR to patients during surgical situations.
A Surgical Technician job candidate needs to take extensive training in sterilizing and organizing surgical instruments. They also need basic training in patient preparation, including sterilizing the incision region.
Surgical Technician Salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary of a Surgical Technician in Canada is $54,583 per year. This varies depending on location, experience and the hiring company.
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