Surgical Technologists

• Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
• Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
• Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
• Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
• Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
• 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.
• Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
• Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
• Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
• 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.
• Order surgical supplies.
• Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Surgical Technologists.

• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• 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.
• Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Surgical Technologists.