Surgical technologists are those individuals all dressed in blue preparing the surgical instrumentation for your surgery.  But that's not all we do! We are directly involved with the patient and their surgical experience.  We maintain the sterile field before and during surgery to help prevent infections.  Along with the registered nurse, called the circulating nurse, we perform sponge, needle, and instrument counts before, during and after each surgical procedure.  We pass instrumentation and medication, help with tissue retraction, suctioning of fluids, and sponging the wound to provide a clear field for the surgeon to work.  Further, we handle specimens that need to go to the laboratory for analysis.  We work closest to the surgeon yet very few people know who we are.

 

For more information on the job description, scope of practice, and the education of surgical technologists, click here.