What You'll Do

  • Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
  • Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
  • Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
  • Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
  • 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.
  • Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
  • Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition.

Essential Skills

Monitoring 3.75/5
Active Listening 3.38/5
Operations Monitoring 3.25/5
Speaking 3.12/5
Critical Thinking 3.12/5
Coordination 3.12/5
Time Management 3.12/5
Reading Comprehension 3.0/5
Active Learning 3.0/5
Learning Strategies 3.0/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.0/5
Instructing 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Self-Control, Integrity, Stress Tolerance

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Near Vision 3.75/5
Speech Recognition 3.62/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.5/5
Selective Attention 3.38/5
Manual Dexterity 3.38/5
Oral Expression 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

Database software Electronic medical record EMR software Email software Google Drive Graphics software Internet browser software MEDITECH software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Nursing documentation software Patient scheduling software Patient tracking software Supply documentation software Surgery workflow communication software Word processing software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.7/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.65/5)
  • Self-Control (High importance: 4.58/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.57/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.49/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Certified Surgical Technician Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St) Operating Room Surgical Technologist Operating Room Technician (OR Tech) Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech) Scrub Technician Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech) Surgical Orderly Surgical Scrub Technician Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech) Surgical Technician Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech) Travel OR Tech (Travel Operating Room Technician) Travel Surgical Tech (Travel Surgical Technician) Travel Surgical Technologist