Surgical Technology

A Surgical Technologist, a member of the surgical team in an operating room, assists in delivering patient care before, during and following surgery. Applying the principles of sterile techniques, the Surgical Technology prepares and knows specific uses of equipment, supplies and the numerous instruments required for all types of surgical procedures.

The Surgical Technology Program is for the person who seeks a challenging, diverse and fast-paced health career that offers a vast range of employment opportunities.

Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs)

By the end of the program, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate clinical competencies in surgical technology
• Apply documented skills in surgical technology
• Exhibit safe, ethical, and legal behavior as it relates to the patient
• Demonstrate appropriate aseptic techniques in a clinical setting

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

The surgical technology program at HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or CAAHEP.

CAAHEP is a programmatic postsecondary accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and carries out its accrediting activities in cooperation with 23 review Committees on Accreditation. CAAHEP currently accredits more than 2100 entry level education programs in 30 health science professions. The Committee on Accreditation for surgical technology is the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA).

CAAHEP Contact Information:

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: (727) 210-2350
Fax: (727) 210-2354
www.caahep.org

Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA)

Accreditation for the surgical technology program at HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences is achieved upon the recommendations by the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or ARC/STSA.
The mission of the ARC/STSA is to provide accreditation services to our communities of interest that validate excellence of education programs in order to advance the professions and ensure quality patient care.

The ARC/STSA® is the only CAAHEP-recognized Committee on Accreditation for education programs in surgical technology and surgical assisting.

The ARC/STSA is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit accreditation services agency providing national recognition for higher education programs in surgical technology and surgical assisting, in collaboration with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), in order to promote quality surgical patient care through quality credible education.

ARC/STSA Contact Information:

Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology & Surgical Assisting6 W. Dry Creek Circle, Suite #110
Littleton, CO 80120
Phone: 303-694-9262
Fax: 303-741-3655
www.arcstsa.org

The Surgical Technology/Technologist program graduates licensures/certifications are issued by the nationally recognized National Board of Surgical Technologists and Surgical Assistants /Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.

2020–2021 Third-Party Licensure/Certification Exam Results  

Occupational licensure and/or certification pass rates reported by academic calendar year (Sept. 1–Aug. 31). Results for the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 academic years are provided for comparison.  

In 2021, following National accreditation mandates, the Surgical Program discontinued the Certificate for Surgical Technology and offered only the AAS in Surgical Technology program.

The 2021-2023 has an 85% pass rate.

The essential functions outline reasonable expectations of a student to participate and be potentially successful in the Surgical Technology Program and in the profession. The surgical technology student must be able to function in a variety of classroom, lab and/or clinical situations while maintaining the essential competencies of surgical technologists. These requirements apply for the purpose of admission and continuation in the program.

Surgical Technology Essential Functions

• Gross and Fine Motor Skills: ability to use hand(s) with coordination and the ability to maneuver objects with fingertips as fine as a human hair. Ability to assemble delicate equipment. Ability to grasp and control surgical equipment and instrumentation for prolonged periods of time is necessary. Ability to work quickly and adapt to the changes in the operating room environment.
• Use of All Extremities: Use of both hands and both legs is necessary to insure patients’ safety when lifting, moving, and transporting patients. The use of both hands is necessary to manipulate and operate surgical instruments in a time frame that does not impede the pace of the operating room environment.
• Physical Strength and Endurance: The ability to stand for prolonged periods of time, possibly up to 6 or 8 hours. The ability to lift patients from gurney or wheelchair to the operating room table. The ability to maneuver heavy surgical instrumentation pans. Average lifting requirement is 10-50 lbs.
• Visual Acuity: The ability to read surgeon preference cards, medication labels, computer screens, distinguish colors, and visualize surgical needs finer than a human hair (with or without corrective aids).
• Auditory: A normal range of hearing (with or without corrective aids) is needed to communicate effectively, as operating room personnel wear surgical masks. The surgical technologist must often respond to auditory requests without visual cues
• Communication: The ability to speak clearly in the English language to elicit information, communicate changes in patient status, and interact with health team members
• Adaptability: The ability to accurately and safely perform assigned tasks in an orderly manner under extremely stressful situations. A professional demeanor is necessary to handle emergency situations that may arise. Certainty and emotional stability is needed to maintain a therapeutic relationship with patients, family, and health care members. A surgical technologist may not pose a significant risk to the health and safety of those in the clinical setting.
• Temperature Requirements: The temperature in an operating room can range from 65-75 degrees. During some cases, the temperature may be increased to maintain a normal temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit for the patient. The surgical technologist must be able to work in these conditions while wearing a surgical gown, Cognitive: Ability to recall information that is taught, said, and demonstrated by the instructor, preceptor, and surgeon. Student will be able to maintain and recall information without cognitive deficit consistently. Working under intense conditions in the Operating Room requires immediate and correct recall both verbally and physically with the use of short term and long term memory.

There are 1,845 Surgical Technologists employed in the Greater Houston Area. This number is expected to increase by 17.6% over the next four years.

• The estimated annual job openings is 112 jobs a year. 
• Median Wages - $22.87 hourly, $48,000 annually

Some online programs may require up to 15% of their curriculum be taken in-person on one of HCC’s campuses.  Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.

Language Option Restrictions

Some online programs require students to participate in foreign language courses as part of the program’s required curriculum. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements and available language options. If you would like to take courses in a language that is not offered online, you would have to do so on campus.

Elective Course Restrictions

Some online programs may have a limited number of elective options available, based on which of the designated electives are currently offered online.  Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.

Required Course Restrictions

Some online programs may require students to participate in one or more campus-based courses as part of a given program’s required curriculum. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.  

Potential Course Restrictions

Some online courses may have face-to-face requirements for exams, laboratory sessions, and other activities. Please review your course syllabus to determine if your online course has an on-campus laboratory or examination requirement.

Hybrid programs allow students to take a mix of online and face-to-face courses. Hybrid programs offer 50% to 85% of their courses online and the remainder of the curriculum is taken in-person on one of HCC’s campuses. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.

Language Option Restrictions

Some hybrid programs require students to participate in foreign language courses as part of the program’s required curriculum. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements and available language options. If you would like to take courses in a language that is not offered online, you would have to do so on campus.

Elective Course Restrictions

Some hybrid programs may have a limited number of elective options available, based on which of the designated electives are currently offered online.  Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.

Required Course Restrictions

Hybrid programs require students to participate in campus-based courses as part of a given program’s required curriculum. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements. 

Potential Course Restrictions

Some online courses may have face-to-face requirements for exams, laboratory sessions, and other activities. Please review your course syllabus to determine if your online course has an on-campus laboratory or examination requirement.