Working as a surgical technician is a big job, but you enjoy every second of it. From preparing the operating room and sterilizing equipment to getting patients ready for surgery and assisting during the procedure, you play a very important role on the healthcare team.
Since the job holds such high importance, employers are very selective when hiring surgical technicians. The following traits are essential to succeed in the position.
5 Top Traits for a Surgical Technician
Communication
When working with others, the ability to communicate is essential. However, it’s even more important for a surgical technician because it can literally be a matter of life and death. As part of the surgical team, patients rely on you to be on the same page with the surgeons, nurses and other healthcare workers in the room.
Attention to Detail
In a surgical setting, there’s no room for error. Therefore, you need to be meticulously detail-oriented to promote the best possible patient outcomes. This trait is a must for a variety of tasks, including counting supplies, to make sure everything needed for the operation is in the room and ensuring you pass the correct instruments to the surgeon during the procedure.
Empathy
Undergoing surgery is often very frightening for patients. You’ll be one of the last people the patient sees before the procedure begins, so you must be able to display compassion. If you’re curt and impatient with them, you’ll make their experience even more stressful. A great surgical technician understands patients’ fears and does everything in their power to put them at ease.
Calm Under Pressure
Being part of a surgical team is no cakewalk. Since any complications that arise during the procedure can seriously injure or even kill the patient, you must stay calm when the going gets rough. Everyone in the operating room needs you to maintain your composure no matter what because mistakes happen when people get flustered.
Adaptability
No two surgical procedures are the same. There’s always a plan in place when you go into the operating room, but that can change without any notice. You have to be able to turn on a dime, because every second counts in a surgical setting.
Ready to find a surgical technician job that makes you excited to go to work? Management Registry, Inc. is here to help healthcare professionals like you find career-boosting opportunities. Contact us today to start your search!