Nurses, medical assistants, and other healthcare workers are in high demand. Their specialized skills allow them to provide high-quality patient care in a variety of healthcare settings, but they’re in short supply. As a result, the market price for these essential workers, including roles in less popular careers like surgical technology, has gone up significantly.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed what many of us in the healthcare field already knew: there aren’t enough healthcare workers in the United States. And matters are getting worse. Pandemic burnout has led to health worker shortages in every discipline, including less popular careers like surgical technology. If you’re interested in exploring opportunities in this field, you can browse our travel surgical tech jobs directly.
What is a Surgical Technologist?
Many people aren’t aware of the role surgical technologists play in the healthcare setting. They don’t have the same level of visibility as nurses and doctors, but they are equally essential for high quality patient care and outcomes.
Surgical technologists perform many duties to ensure patients have a smooth surgical experience. They’re responsible for sterilizing both surgical instruments and the operating room (OR) itself. Prior to surgery, surgical technologists prep patients and set up the OR with necessary equipment depending on the patient’s needs.
Some surgical technologists also assist during surgery. They pass tools to the surgeon, but they might also get some hands-on experience retracting tissues so the surgeon can have a better field of view. However, surgical technologists can’t perform surgical procedures on their own.
As surgery concludes, surgical technologists help account for every tool, dressing, instrument and other equipment before the surgeon closes the patient’s surgical site. They do this to make sure nothing is left behind and give the patient their best chance for recovery without any complications.
How much does a traveling surgical tech make?
Many surgical technologists make a comfortable living based on where they live. On average, surgical technologists make over $53,000 in salary, but wages across the country extend from $36,930 to $75,940 each year according to the United States Bureau for Labor Statistics.
Many CT tech travel jobs pay higher than the average salary for permanent staff and travel surgical technologist opportunities are no different. They can top $90,000 in some of the most competitive markets.
How To Become a Surgical Technologist
People who are interested in becoming surgical technologists need to complete an accredited surgical technology program. They’ll learn about the human body, as well as how to sterilize equipment to prevent hospital acquired infections and basic patient care and safety.
Community colleges and vocational schools facilitate these programs, but some universities also have surgical technology programs. After you complete the program, you’ll need to sit for the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam. Look up your state’s requirements to learn more about the program that’s best for you.
Travel Surgical Tech Jobs
Finding high paying travel surgical technologist positions doesn’t have to be difficult. There are many different agencies available across the nation that can help you out. As long as your Surg Tech license is active and you have relevant work experience, you should be able to find a suitable position through available job listings with traveling surgical tech agencies.
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