Will “Surgical Technician (Surgical Tech)” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔
Unknown Chance of Automation
Sadly, the research paper did not provide any information about this occupation. Maybe have a look at our directory?
Job Description
Assist surgeons during surgery by performing duties such as tissue retraction, insertion of tubes and intravenous lines, or closure of surgical wounds. Perform preoperative and postoperative duties to facilitate patient care.
Job Details
- The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 29-2099.07
☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Surgical Assistants”.
Also Known As…
- Surgical Assistants
- Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech)
- Surgical First Assistant
- Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA)
- Gastrointestinal Technician (GI Technician)
- Certified Surgical Technician
- Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA)
- Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA)
- Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA)
- Certified First Assistant (CFA)
- Surgical Technician (Surgical Tech)
- Surgical Services Assistant
- Surgical Assistant-Certified (SA-C)
- Surgical Assistant
- Surgery Technician
- Operating Room Technician
- Operating Room Assistant
- First Assistant
- Assistant-at-Surgery
Tasks for “Surgical Technician (Surgical Tech)”
- Transport patients to operating room.
- Monitor patient intra-operative status, including patient position, vital signs, or volume and color of blood.
- Assist in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques.
- Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
- Assist in applying casts, splints, braces, or similar devices.
- Incise tissue layers in lower extremities to harvest veins.
- Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.
- Coordinate or participate in the positioning of patients, using body stabilizing equipment or protective padding to provide appropriate exposure for the procedure or to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment.
- Insert or remove urinary bladder catheters.
- Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.
- Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
- Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.
- Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
- Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
- Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.
- Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.
- Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.
- Operate sterilizing devices.
- Discuss with surgeon the nature of the surgical procedure, including operative consent, methods of operative exposure, diagnostic or laboratory data, or patient-advanced directives or other needs.
- Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.
- Postoperatively inject a subcutaneous local anesthetic agent to reduce pain.
- Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
- Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.
- Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.
- Remove patient hair or disinfect incision sites to prepare patient for surgery.
- Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.
- Adjust and maintain operating room temperature, humidity, or lighting, according to surgeon's specifications.
- Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.
Related Technology & Tools
- Eye magnets
- Mayo stands
- Subcutaneous injection syringes
- Cauterizing equipment
- Surgical clamps
- Wound drains
- Cardiac monitoring equipment
- Surgical gloves
- Hospital intercom equipment
- Powered surgical drills
- Endoscopic camera/video systems
- Ethylene Oxide sterilizers
- C-arm tables
- Surgical retractors
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Patient positioning devices
- Surgical robots
- Pagers
- Surgical masks
- Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers
- Pneumatic tourniquets
- Intravenous IV sets
- Personal computers
- Surgical scalpels
- Suture kits
- Surgical trocars
- Vascular clamps
- Specimen collection containers
- Laptop computers
- Heart pacemakers
- Hemostat clamps
- Hypothermia units
- Fluid warmers
- Suction machines
- Cast cutting saws
- Urinary catheters
- Patient transport stretchers
- Fiberoptic endoscopes
- Surgical protective goggles
- Blood warming equipment
- Sterile drapes
- Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Nd:YAG lasers
- Argon beam coagulators
- Surgical dermatomes
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Laparoscopes
- Anesthesia carts
- Surgical fracture tables
- Eye lasers
- Surgical razors
- Nerve stimulators
- Blanket warmer cabinets
- Cell savers
- Angiocaths
- Sterile gowns
- Desktop computers
- Body stabilizers
- Head stabilizers
- Flash sterilizers
- Telethermometers
- Medical image processing printers
- Pressure steam autoclaves
- Medical staple kits
- MEDITECH software
- Patient tracking software
- Supply documentation software
- Surgery workflow communication software
- Microsoft Excel
- Patient scheduling software
- Nursing documentation software
- Electronic medical record EMR software