If you’re looking for a job that is truly up and coming, you may want to consider the surgical technologist position as well as the surgical tech salary. Surgical techs typically work under the watchful eyes of surgeons and RNs inside the operating room. Not only do they prepare the operation theater for surgery, but they also prepare and take patients into surgery. The surgical tech will adjust the equipment, prepare the lighting, pass surgical instruments and supplies to the surgeons and their assistants, cut sutures, tie stitches and hold the medical retractors.

But that’s not all! For the surgical tech salary, the technician will also keep track of materials needed for surgery, counting supplies, instruments, needles, sponges, etc. A shift may begin with the check of your surgery cases and the preparation of the carts with all the needed supplies and instruments. You’ll be included in the meetings that discuss the cases and what the surgery will involve so that you’re prepared.

It’s true that you will earn your surgical tech salary with many varied tasks. You’ll be in charge of opening the sterilized supplies and instruments, scrubbing in and setting up the instruments in an organized manner. Customer care is also part of your job description as you will also do your best to put the patient at ease and make them as comfortable as possible.

Attention to detail is very important in the daily life of the surgical tech and the reason why the surgical tech salary is higher than most other non-degreed professionals. The life of patients is in their hands and because of these important details, the surgical tech salary is higher than many other technical positions. One of the reasons why this position is increasing in number is that the surgical tech salary is still lower than the emergency room nurse’s and it’s a savings to the hospitals to replace nurses with surgical techs.

The day of a typical surgical tech can start at all hours of the day and night as emergency surgeries often pop up, they’re scheduled for early mornings and prep work must be done before the surgeries can begin. They often can include weekends and holidays, so the ideal candidate will be able to handle a flexible work-schedule.

In the following video, staff members at the Duke University Medical Center discuss a typical day as a surgical technologist: