Friday, April 24, 2009

The Duties of Surgical Technicians

By Amy Coulter

After a successful surgery, all praises are usually directed to the surgeon. The name of the surgeon gets more and more recognition as the total of successful operations increase. However, the surgeon is not the only person whose skill determines the outcome of the surgery.

The surgical technicians, who often go unrecognized by patients, deserve equal praises as those received by the surgeon. A huge percentage of the probability of a successful surgery depends on the surgical technician's ability to do his job effectively.

A surgical technician is a skilled professional whose job is tremendously important to individuals undergoing surgery. The roles of a surgical technician may differ among states and even between medical institutions because state laws and superior physicians determine their roles.

Surgical technicians undergo and complete special training, which lasts for about two years, either at community or trade colleges. They may also be certified through various medical agencies, and take examinations after completing medical school to get official recognition.

One of the most important aspects of surgical technician jobs is learning how to effectively prepare operating rooms properly. It is essential that the operating rooms used during surgeries are sterile, which will lower the rate of infection in patients. This does not mean "cleaning" the operating rooms.

That is the job of the maintenance personnel. The surgical technician could just supervise the cleaning and prepare and sterilize all the instruments that might be needed in the surgery.

During the actual surgery, the surgical technician is on hand to give assistance in a range of functions. They must be able to follow the surgeon's direction quickly and carefully, and with accuracy.

Hence, they must be very familiar with the names of the numerous surgical instruments a surgeon might require during an operation. The ability to work with grace under pressure is also a must.

No matter how intense pressure is building up, the surgical technician should stay calm, collected and focused. Mental alertness and comprehension is very important. In addition, because the surgical technician could actually be present during some operations, tolerance for seeing open surgeries is very important.

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