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Where Can a Surgical Tech Work Besides the Traditional Surgery Room?

Surgical techs have options in terms of where they work. Whether you are considering this career, starting out in the field, or have several years of experience, this information could be relevant to you. Let’s explore the options.

Workplace options

Not surprisingly, most surgical techs work in hospitals. Of almost 100,000 people who worked in this field in the United States in 2014, approximately 70 percent worked in hospitals. Most worked full time. As with any field, people may have preferences in terms of their work environment, hours, and holidays. For some surgical techs, a hospital environment may be perfect, especially if they prefer to have the opportunity for overtime or on-call hours.

However, other surgical techs may prefer a smaller workplace, one that is limited to daytime hours, or one that combines sales with surgical tech skills and experience. They may find such an environment in outpatient care centers, ambulatory surgical centers, private surgery clinics, or medical equipment sales. Surgical techs who prefer caring for animals may pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

Part of a team

It’s important to note that with any of these workplace options, a surgical tech will work as part of a team and will spend time caring for patients. In medical equipment sales, a surgical tech wouldn’t provide direct patient care, but he or she would be part of a sales team and would help surgical teams choose the best equipment for that particular facility. In almost any situation, a surgical tech would work closely with surgeons, anesthesiologists, registered nurse anesthetists, registered nurses, and other surgical personnel.

Each member of the team has specific duties, but they’re all working to provide patients with the best care. As part of this healthcare team, they all wear scrubs while in the operating room, in addition to masks and other preventative shields. This is important for safety and to reduce the risk of infection.

A surgical tech’s duties

Increasing safety and reducing the risk of infection, in fact, are among a surgical tech’s main duties. The surgical tech works under the supervision of a surgeon … ensuring that the operating room is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety.

This translates to specific duties before, during, and after surgery. The surgical tech prepares the patient, assists in preparing the room, hands instruments to the surgeon, maintains accurate counts of all supplies, and works with other team members to clean the operating room after surgery.

Where do you want to work?

At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. If you’re a surgical tech searching for your next assignment, we’d love to talk with you. What’s the best environment for you? We can help you figure it out; call us at 310.436.3650 today!

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