Surgical Technology as a Pathway to Surgical Assisting

"Utilizing a Surgical Technologist who has advanced his career and education to fulfill the role of First Assistant to the attending surgeon ensures the best and highest quality care for the surgical patient in the operative environment."

The field of Surgical Technology is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment outlook for Surgical Technologists is expected to grow by 24% between 2006 and 2016.* Surgical Technologists are vital team members during all three phases of perioperative surgical patient care. Preoperatively, Surgical Technologists gather necessary supplies, ensure the operating room suite is prepared to receive the surgical patient, establish the sterile field by opening equipment and supplies, and perform routine counts to ensure a safe operation for the patient. During the intraoperative phase of surgical case management Surgical Technologists are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the sterile field in order to prevent surgical site infection, handling and passing surgical instrumentation and supplies to the surgeon and first assistant, and acting under the delegatory authority of the surgeon to better serve the patient and operating room team. Postoperatively, Surgical Technologists assist with wound dressing application, patient transportation, and operating room turnover in preparation for the next patient. They are also responsible for making sure that surgical supplies and instruments are properly decontaminated and sterilized to be used on other surgical patients.

The training, education, and experience gained as a Surgical Technologist make many of these allied health practitioners perfect candidates for training and certification as Surgical First Assistants. While other practitioners such as nurses and physician assistants often fill this role, Surgical Technologists are the only allied health practitioners specifically educated in surgical theory and practice. While nurses and other providers receive minimal exposure to the operating room which usually consists of only a few days of observance, Surgical Technologists attend formal, one to two year, college-level training programs and are taught surgical anatomy and physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, anesthesia concepts, aseptic and sterile technique, surgical procedures, surgical theory, surgical patient care, and operative case management. Therefore, the transition into the role of the Surgical First Assistant is often easier and more seamless for qualified and properly experienced Surgical Technologists. Surgical Technologists can make this transition by attending a CAAHEP accredited school for Surgical Assisting. These programs add to the didactic and skills based education of the Surgical Technologist by incorporating deeper focus on advanced anatomy and physiology, surgical theory, instrument handling, proper tissue manipulation, and wound closure techniques. Utilizing a Surgical Technologist who has advanced his career and education to fulfill the role of First Assistant to the attending surgeon ensures the best and highest quality care for the surgical patient in the operative environment.