Operating Room Technician

Operating Room Technician

Duties and Responsibilities: Operating room technicians are also called surgical technicians or surgical technologists.  They assist in preparing operating rooms for surgery.  They are responsible for having surgical instruments, sterile bandages and linens, needed fluids, and other equipment ready for the operation.  They may also assist doctors by handing them needed instruments during surgery and for counting sponges and needles before and after the operation.  They deliver specimens to hospital laboratories for analysis, and after operations they take patients to the recovery room.

Average Salary:  $16,000 - $22,000

Educational Requirements: A high school diploma or GED certificate is required.  Many vocational and junior colleges offer programs in operating room technology, and training may also be taken at large hospitals.  Programs vary between one year to two years.  Students receive training in medical terminology, physiology, and sterilization methods.  At the end of the training period students must pass an examination by the Association of Surgical Technologists to become certified.