3 Major roles of surgical technologist

Surgical environment needs case planning and technical discussions with all surgical team including surgeons ,  paramedic staff, nursing staff and other assisting staff. It is a responsibility of a surgical technologist to do an effective case planning for the efficient work in the peri-operative and post-operative environment.  the surgical technologist plays important role in surgical environment by performing the following duties.

Peri-operative duties of surgical technologist:

There are following peri-operative duties of a surgical technologist

1.             Conformation of patient by name, age, gender and medical registration number
2.             Guiding the patient about the procedure.
3.              Providing gown for donning of patient
4.         Maintaining iv line to the patient
5.            Administering medicine to the patient prescribed by the surgeon
6.       Shaving the hairs on the part of the patient where surgery is to be performed and covering with it with a sterile towel or etc.
7.       Passing the foley’s catheter to the patient
8.             Monitoring the vitals of patient
9.       Careful moving the patient towards operation theatre

 Intra-operative duties of a surgical technologist:

In operation theater surgical technologist has following duties

Scrub:

Scrub is member of sterile team gowned and gloved participant during the surgery.

Surgical Technologist as a scrub performs following duties:

1.    Prepares back table by opening sterile pack and arranging the instruments
2.           Covers the mayo stand with a sterile drape
3.       Maintain the position of mayo stand and back table near the operating table
4.           Receives medicine and fluids from circulator in a sterile way
5.      Protect the sterile field from contamination
6.          Communicates efficiently with the surgeon and circulator
7.          Assisting the surgeon and assistant for gowning and glowing
8.       Helping in draping and painting the patient  
9.       Passing instruments to the surgeon
10.          Preparing suture with needle holder
11.          Maintaining suction and electro-surgical lead
12.            Wiping the instruments and ESU tip during surgery
13.          After the procedure applying dressings on the wound

 Circulator:

A circulator is a surgical team member non scrubbed only in ot kit which is responsible for providing instruments and and supplies to the scrub persons in a sterile way.

Circulator is responsible for following

1.    Providing medicine and fluids to scrub in sterile way
2.           Positioning the patient according to procedure
3.         Setting the ot light on the surgical field
4.           Helping the patient moving and handling

     First assistant:

A first assistant is a person which assists directly surgeon in surgery

first assisting has following duties

1.       By retraction of wound
2.          Hemostasis by electro-surgical tip or clamp
3.          Moping the blood
4.          Helping in ligation
5.          Suturing the wound after procedure

Anesthesia assistant:

Anesthesia assistant provides assistance to anesthetic

Following are duties of surgical tech as a anesthesia assistant

1.            Preparing medicines for anesthesia
2.            Disinfection of anesthesia aiding instruments
3.           Monitoring vitals of patient
4.          Assessment before anesthesia
5.          Checking the working of anesthesia machine
6.      Assisting the anesthesia doctor to pass endotracheal tube

Post-Operative Duties:

After the procedure the patient is in the recovery phase that’s why patient need special care for recovery from anesthesia After the procedure the patient is in the recovery phase that’s why patient need special care for recovery from anesthesia After the procedure the patient is in the recovery phase that’s why patient need special care for recovery from anesthesia

1.           Handling the patient and moving towards ICU or postoperative department
2.            Carefully shifting from gurney to the bed
3.           Monitoring the vitals of patient
4.          Monitoring the amount of blood in the drain
5.          Handling of ventilator according to the position of the patient