Jobs / Healthcare / 29-2055.00
Surgical Technologists
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
- US jobs
- 117,460
- Median wage
- $64,650 a year
- Job family
- Healthcare
Can agents do the work of surgical technologists?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Healthcare: Some tasks (no change in 12 months)
Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.
Evidence: MedAgentBench, 69.7% of tasks completed.
0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.
- 33%Assist healthcare practitioners during medical proceduresNot measured
- 15%Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or productsNot measured
- 9%Clean medical equipment or facilitiesNot measured
- 7%Monitor health conditions of humans or animalsNot measured
- 6%Prepare specimens or materials for testingNot measured
- 4%Purchase goods or servicesNot measured
- 4%Maintain health or medical recordsNot measured
- 3%Follow standard healthcare safety procedures to protect patient and staff membersNot measured
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in healthcare, not always this occupation's tasks.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
Context only
These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- 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.
- Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
- Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.
Other job titles for this occupation (17)
Central Supply Technician (Central Supply Tech) · Certified Scrub Technician (Certified Scrub Tech) · CST (Certified Surgical Technologist) · OR Surgical Tech (Operating Room Surgical Technician) · OR Tech (Operating Room Technician) · OR Technologist (Operating Room Technologist) · Scrub Technician (Scrub Tech) · Scrub Technologist (Scrub Tech) · Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech) · Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech) · CVOR Technologist (Cardiovascular Operating Room Technologist) · OR Surgical Technologist (Operating Room Surgical Technologist) · Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech) · Surgical Orderly · Travel OR Tech (Travel Operating Room Technician) · Travel Surgical Technician (Travel Surgical Tech) · Travel Surgical Technologist