BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasSurgical Technologists

O*NET · 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.

Also called Central Supply Tech · Central Supply Technician (Central Supply Tech) · Certified Scrub Tech · Certified Scrub Technician (Certified Scrub Tech) · CST · CST (Certified Surgical Technologist) · CVOR Technologist · CVOR Technologist (Cardiovascular Operating Room Technologist)
22 more

OR Surgical Tech · OR Surgical Tech (Operating Room Surgical Technician) · OR Surgical Technologist · OR Surgical Technologist (Operating Room Surgical Technologist) · OR Tech · OR Tech (Operating Room Technician) · OR Technologist · OR Technologist (Operating Room Technologist) · Scrub Tech · Scrub Technician (Scrub Tech) · Scrub Technologist (Scrub Tech) · Surgery Tech · Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech) · Surgical Orderly · Surgical Scrub Tech · Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech) · Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech) · Travel OR Tech · Travel OR Tech (Travel Operating Room Technician) · Travel Surgical Tech · Travel Surgical Technician (Travel Surgical Tech) · Travel Surgical Technologist

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code RCS35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCSRealistic · Conventional · Social — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.26
  • C Conventional4.85
  • S Social3.82
  • I Investigative3.22
  • E Enterprising1.61
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent14%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate41%
  • Some College Courses10%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree35%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (33%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (46%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (44%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Monitoringbasic3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Active Listeningbasic3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Operations Monitoring3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Service Orientation3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Speakingbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Time Management3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
  • Coordination3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Active Learningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Complex Problem Solving3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Instructing3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
Show the other 23
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Learning Strategiesbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Social Perceptiveness3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Operation and Control3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Management of Material Resources3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Writingbasic2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Equipment Maintenance2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Quality Control Analysis2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Troubleshooting2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Systems Evaluation2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Mathematicsbasic2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Persuasion2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Systems Analysis2.52.8Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Repairing2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Negotiation2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Equipment Selection2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Sciencebasic2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Management of Financial Resources2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Operations Analysis1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Programming1.1—
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

13 core · 5 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.5.0
  2. Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.5.0
  3. Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.4.9
  4. Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.4.9
  5. Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.4.9
  6. Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.4.9
  7. Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.4.8
  8. Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.4.7
  9. Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.4.7
  10. Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.4.6
  11. Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.4.5
  12. Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.4.5
Show the other 6
  1. Maintain supply of fluids, such as plasma, saline, blood, or glucose, for use during operations.4.4
  2. Schedule surgical procedures for patients.4.8
  3. Order surgical supplies.4.6
  4. Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition.4.4
  5. Maintain files and records of surgical procedures.4.4
  6. Transport patients to and from the operating room.4.3

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Medicine and Dentistry4.15.5Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
  • English Language4.04.2Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Customer and Personal Service3.85.0Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Education and Training3.34.0Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Production and Processing2.72.7
  • Psychology2.73.4Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Administration and Management2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Biology2.63.2Level 4 looks like: Investigate the effects of pollution on marine plants and animals
Show all 33
  • Computers and Electronics2.63.6Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Mechanical2.63.0Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Administrative2.53.1Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Chemistry2.52.9
  • Mathematics2.53.0Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Law and Government2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Physics2.42.6
  • Therapy and Counseling2.42.7
  • Communications and Media2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Public Safety and Security2.32.5Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Engineering and Technology2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Philosophy and Theology2.02.1Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Telecommunications2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Sales and Marketing1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Economics and Accounting1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Foreign Language1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • History and Archeology1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Design1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Fine Arts1.6—
  • Transportation1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Food Production1.5—
  • Geography1.5—
  • Building and Construction1.4—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Near Vision4.04.0Level 5 looks like: Read the fine print of a legal document
  • Oral Comprehension4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Problem Sensitivity3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Speech Recognition3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Information Ordering3.33.3Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Oral Expression3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
Show all 52
  • Selective Attention3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Speech Clarity3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Category Flexibility3.13.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Deductive Reasoning3.13.1Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Flexibility of Closure3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Number Facility3.12.5Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Perceptual Speed3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Auditory Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Control Precision3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Finger Dexterity3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Inductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Memorization3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Recite the first names of the five people you just met
  • Trunk Strength3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Visualization3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Written Comprehension3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Written Expression3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Multilimb Coordination2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Static Strength2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Time Sharing2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Extent Flexibility2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Fluency of Ideas2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Speed of Closure2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Depth Perception2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Originality2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Dynamic Strength2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Stamina2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Glare Sensitivity2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Gross Body Coordination2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Rate Control2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time2.02.5Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Response Orientation2.02.0Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Explosive Strength1.50.6
  • Peripheral Vision1.40.4
  • Spatial Orientation1.40.5
  • Night Vision1.3—
  • Sound Localization1.3—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Getting Information4.85.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.75.1Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.75.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.75.8
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.66.1Level 7 looks like: Load boxes on an assembly line
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.65.6
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.65.3Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.56.1Level 7 looks like: Care for seriously injured persons in an emergency room
Show all 41
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.55.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.54.5Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.45.3Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.24.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Processing Information4.25.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.05.3Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Scheduling Work and Activities4.04.9Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Thinking Creatively3.94.8Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Training and Teaching Others3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Developing and Building Teams3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Working with Computers3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.74.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.74.5Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.73.9Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.54.3Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.44.3Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.43.2Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment3.34.0Level 4 looks like: Specify the furniture and equipment for a new school
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.34.1Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.23.5Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.24.1Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.14.4Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.93.5Level 4 looks like: Make repairs by removing and replacing circuit boards
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Interview candidates for a sales position and make hiring recommendations
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.62.9
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.62.7

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others5.0
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate5.0
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team5.0
  • Spend Time Standing4.9
  • Physical Proximity4.7
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6
  • Exposed to Disease or Infections4.4

Technology

15 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (5)

  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (10)
  • Database software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Email software
  • Google Drive
  • Graphics software
  • Nursing documentation software
  • Patient scheduling software
  • Patient tracking software
  • Supply documentation software
  • Surgery workflow communication software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Surgical Assistants
  2. Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
  3. Endoscopy Technicians
  4. Medical Equipment Preparers
  5. Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
  6. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
  7. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
  8. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians
  9. Radiation Therapists
  10. Histotechnologists

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.