Program Specific Requirements Individuals who intend to apply to the program must:
1. Complete pre-requisite courses: HPER 1410 First Aid & CPR or provide a copy of the front and back of the CPR/First Aid card with current certification throughout the clinical experience.
2. Complete all required developmental and general education courses before beginning the final program semester.
3. Complete specific division health and immunization requirements and submit the documentation on the College Health Student Data form before the beginning of the final spring semester.
4. Provide proof of health insurance coverage during the clinical period.
5. Have a criminal background check completed and on file.
6. Refer to the program handbook for time limits on transfer of technical and general education credits and for specific program progression policies.
Acceptance into the program is based upon a minimum GPA of 2.0 or letter grade of “C” in all required courses, date of program application, and adherance to the criteria of the Surgical Technology program.
The Surgical Technology program prepares students to assist the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and professional registered nurse as an integral member of the direct patient care team before, during, and after surgical intervention. The graduate practitioner will possess the knowledge base and technical skills to demonstrate the principles of sterile technique, demonstrate the invasive procedural steps necessary to correct anatomical pathology, prepare equipment, instruments, supplies, and sutures used for surgical procedures, assist the surgeon throughout the operative procedure, incorporate values and attitudes congruent with professional standards and ethics, and perform in the role of first scrub, second assistant, supervised circulator, and first assistant.
Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Certifying Examination for Surgical Technologists to become a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST). The exam is administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), the credentialing organization. The NBSTSA awards a certificate, after successful completion of the examination; the individual will be nationally certified.
Employment for surgical technologists is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2006). The number of surgical procedures is expected to grow as the population ages.
Hospitals will continue as the primary employer of surgical technologists, although much faster employment growth is expected in offices and clinics of physicians, including ambulatory surgical centers.
Surgical technologists held about 71,000 jobs in 2000. Almost three-quarters are employed by hospitals. Others are employed in clinics and surgical centers, and in the offices of physicians and dentists who perform outpatient surgery. A few, known as private scrubs, are employed by surgeons who have special surgical teams, such as those for organ transplantation.
Technologists advance by specializing in a particular area of surgery, such as neurosurgery or open heart surgery. They also may work as circulating technologists, the "unsterile" members of the surgical team who prepare patients, assist with anesthesia, obtain and open packages for "sterile" persons to remove the contents during procedures. They may also interview patients before surgery, keep a written account of the surgical procedure, and answer the surgeon's questions about the patient during surgery.
With additional training, some technologists advance to first assistants, who help with retracting, sponging, suturing, cauterizing bleeders, and closing and treating wounds. Some surgical technologists manage central supply departments in hospitals, or take positions with insurance companies, sterile supply services, and surgical equipment firms.
Student Placement
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in cooperation with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA).
The College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, (800) 621-7440, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504.
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The goal of Northland’s Surgical Technology program is to prepare competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains.
The Outcomes
Upon completion of the Surgical Technology didactic and clinical components, the graduate will be able to:
1) Perform skills necessary to safely fulfill the role of the Surgical Technologist, including the application of infection control practices.
2) Demonstrate professional behaviors consistent with the profession and employer expectations utilizing ethical and legal considerations relevant to the role of the surgical technologist.
3) Evaluate information using problem-solving and critical thinking skills relevant to the surgical technologist position.
4) Demonstrate proficiency in the application of aseptic technique in all aspects of the surgical care of patients.
5) Demonstrate basic competence in the use of surgical instruments, supplies, and equipment used to provide patient care.
6) Integrate a comprehensive understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical terminology and microbiology when assisting with surgical procedures.
7) Communicate effectively with patients, physicians, and colleagues based upon respect for the dignity and worth of each person.
8) Exhibit behaviors conducive to effective teamwork.
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