Technical Standards

The surgical technologist must be able to:

• Stand, bend, stoop, and/or sit for long periods of time in one location with minimal/no breaks.
• Lift and hold waist high a minimum of 20 pounds such as an instrument tray prior to placing on sterile field while packaging is checked for integrity.
• Refrain from nourishment or rest room breaks for periods up to the duration of your shift.
• Demonstrate sufficient visual and tactile ability to load a fine (10-0, finer than a strand of hair) suture onto needles and needle holders with/without corrective lenses while wearing safety glasses.
• Demonstrate sufficient peripheral vision to anticipate and function while in the sterile surgical environment.
• Hear and understand muffled communication without visualization of the communicator’s mouth/lips within the operating room suite (an operating room suite can be up to 300 square feet).
• Hear activation/warning signals on equipment.
• Detect odors sufficient to maintain environmental safety and patient needs.
• Manipulate instruments, supplies, and equipment with speed, dexterity, and good eye-hand coordination.
• Ambulate/move around without assistive devices and within confined spaces.
• Assist with and/or lift, move, position, and manipulate, with or without assistive devices, the patient who is unconscious.
• Communicate and understand fluent English both verbally and in writing.
• Be free of reportable communicable diseases and chemical abuse.
• Demonstrate immunity to rubella, rubeola, tuberculosis, varicella, mumps and hepatitis B or be vaccinated against these diseases.
• Possess short- and long-term memory sufficient to perform tasks such as, but not limited to mentally tracking surgical supplies and performing anticipation skills intraoperatively.
• Make appropriate judgments and decisions.
• Demonstrate the use of positive coping skills under stress.
• Demonstrate calm and effective responses, especially in emergency situations.
• Exhibit positive interpersonal skills in patient, staff, and faculty interactions.
• Demonstrate confidentiality by not sharing “world of the OR” with others including family members.
• Take “call” leaving family and friends at inconvenient times and within a geographic area that allows a 20-30 minute response according to policies.
• Must be able to wear a surgical face mask or toga for the duration of your shift.

Adapted from the Association of Surgical Technologists