At SVSTI, we believe that learning is a continuous process that should never end. Our mission is to provide high-quality adult education courses that are accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or experience. Our courses are designed to help you acquire new skills, advance your career, and achieve your personal goals. Join us today and embark on a journey of lifelong learning!
Surgical Technology Degree Program
The Surgical Technology Degree Program requires candidates to have a High School Diploma or GED to enroll into the Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology Program. The degree program consists of ONE 16- week term online completing the General Education portion of the program followed by TWO 16- week terms on campus, completing the core portion of the program. The final 16-week term is at a designated medical facility. The degree program is approximately 16 months, not including holidays and breaks.
Surgical Technology Certificate Program
**(Disclosure to potential future students)**
After the start of June 3, 2024 cohort, SVSTI will no longer offer the Certificate Program and will only have the Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology Program available. Candidates that have a Bachelor Degree or Higher will be able to do a block transfer, which means that no General Education classes will be needed and the program will be approximately 12 months, not including holidays and breaks. Candidates that have college credits will transfer in any General Education credits that are approved by our General Education Coordinator.
The Surgical Technology Certificate Program requires student candidates to hold an AAS, AOS, or Associate Degree or higher. Candidates must submit a copy of the earned degree AND official transcripts for Certificate program eligibility. The Certificate program consists of a TWO 16- week terms on campus, completing the core portion of the program. The third and final 16-week term is at a designated medical facility. The Certificate program is approximately 12 months, not including holidays and breaks.
TO BEGIN the REQUIRED STEPS for consideration for Surgical Technology Enrollment (ALL of the following will be graded, and points earned will be utilized for entrance qualification **A no call /no show to any appointment or any appointment not rescheduled prior to 48 hours of set appointment can result in deduction of points**):
If you are accepted into the Program – The following must be completed:
Once your documents have been received, and you are formally accepted into the Surgical Tech program, you will receive an acceptance letter (email) from Admissions. At that time, you will have FIVE business days to make your payment in full OR pay your $3400 deposit + STRF fees in accordance with your PRE-APPROVED payment plan. Each cohort begins with an Orientation.
A surgical technologist, also called a scrub, scrub tech, surgical technician, or operating room technician, is an allied health professional working as a part of the team delivering surgical care. Surgical technologists are members of the surgical team. Join our ST Program today!
Many healthcare careers require several years of schooling before being qualified to start working. Fortunately, this isn’t the case for surgical techs. Most employers require a postsecondary Certificate or Associate’s degree to work in this position.
Assists in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeon's assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
Our Surgical Technology Program will prepare you for real-world situations. SVSTI is a Surgical Tech School like no other and is located in the Bay Area of California.
Surgical Technologist Essential Functions
A surgical technologist is a healthcare professional whose primary responsibility is to maintain the sterile field, understand the procedure being performed, anticipate the needs of the surgeon, maintain a current knowledge base, maintain quality patient care during the operative procedure, and maintain constant vigilance regarding the adherence of aseptic technique by all members of the surgical team and their surroundings. They handle the instruments, supplies, and equipment necessary before, during, and after the surgical procedure. In addition to the technical aspects of the profession, the technologist must always be aware of the patient’s condition and needs.
Special Qualifications:
In addition to minimum requirements regarding Reading, Writing, and Math skills, the student must, unassisted:
1. Able to make appropriate judgment decisions.
2. Demonstrate ability to comprehend and interpret written material.
3. Demonstrate the use of positive coping skills during patient, staff, and faculty interactions.
4. Follow written and oral/verbal instructions in English. Possess short-term and long-term memory sufficient to perform tasks, e.g., mentally tracking surgical supplies and performing anticipation skills during the operation.
5. Synthesize information from written material and apply the knowledge to various situations.
Psychomotor Qualifications:
1. Hearing – normal, corrected, or aid able. Hear and understand muffled communication without visualization of the communicator’s mouth/lips and within 20 feet. Hear activation/warning signals on equipment.
2. Vision – normal, corrected. Demonstrate sufficient visual ability enough to load a fine (10-0) suture onto needles and needle holders with/without corrective lenses and while wearing safety glasses. Demonstrate sufficient peripheral vision to anticipate and function while
in the sterile surgical environment.
3. Touch – normal tactile sensitivity. Manipulate instruments, supplies, and equipment with speed, dexterity, and good eye-hand coordination.
4. Smell – able to detect odors sufficient to maintain environmental safety and patient needs.
Physical Qualifications:
1. Able to stand, bend, stoop, and/or sit for long periods of time in one location with minimum/no breaks.
2. Able to lift a minimum of 20 pounds.
3. Able to refrain from nourishment or restroom breaks for periods up to 6 hours.
4. Ambulate/move around without assistive devices.
5. Able to assist with and/or lift, move, position, and manipulate patient who is unconscious with/without assistive devices.
6. Successfully complete a CPR certification course.
Communication Qualifications:
1. The ability to interact and verbally communicate with others. Demonstrate positive interpersonal skills during patient, staff, and faculty interactions.
2. Demonstrate calm and effective responses, especially in emergency situations.
3. Knowledge of basic written, grammar, and spelling skills.
4. Ability to communicate and understand fluent English both verbally and in writing.
The Surgical Technology program at SVSTI prepares and educates students to become entry level surgical technologists in operating rooms. The profession’s scope of practice requires demonstration of responsibilities and accountability within the role and competencies expected of a surgical technologist. It is important to note that the profession of surgical technologist is one that is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. Indicated below are several examples of the scope of practice, roles, and competencies that will be encountered.
SVSTI is committed to providing reasonable accommodation in its academic programs to qualified individuals with disabilities, including but not limited to learning disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is one that does not require a fundamental alteration to the nature of the program or lower academic and/or clinical standards.
Throughout the program, students must be able to perform in a reasonably independent and timely manner that does not affect the quality of care, the safety of patients or other individuals, and in a way that does not adversely affect SVSTI, clinical affiliates, or any member of the healthcare team.
Students must have the aptitude and abilities in six areas: sensory ability and skills; fine and gross motor skills; strength, mobility, and physical endurance; the ability to communicate, comprehend, read, and write in English; behavioral stability; and cognitive ability and critical thinking skills.
It is the student’s responsibility to understand the duties, responsibilities, skills, and abilities required to be a surgical technologist. In addition to the technical standards described below, students are encouraged to review the information regarding surgical technologists at Surgical Technology (svsti.com)
The following list is not meant to be all-inclusive, but instead it offers examples of required activities. Students are encouraged to review the standards carefully; if there are any questions or concerns, they should be discussed with the Chief Academic Director of SVSTI
Core Performance Standards
• Able to stand, bend, and/or sit for long periods of time in one location with minimum/no breaks.
• Able to lift a minimum of 20 pounds.
• Able to refrain from nourishment or restroom breaks for periods of up to six hours.
• Demonstrate sufficient visual ability to load a fine (10-0) suture onto needles and needle holders with/without corrective lenses and while wearing eye protection.
• 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 and within 20 feet.
• Hear activation/warning signals on equipment.
• Able to 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.
• Able to assist with and/or lift, move, position, and manipulate the patient who is unconscious with or without assistive devices.
• Able to effectively communicate with others, both verbally and in writing.
• 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.
• Able to make appropriate judgment decisions.
• Demonstrate the use of positive coping skills under stress.
• Demonstrate calm and effective responses, especially in emergency situations.
• Exhibit positive interpersonal skills during patient, staff, and faculty interactions.
• Perform all laboratory and clinical skills within a pre-established timeframe that ensures safe patient care.
•Manipulate instruments, supplies and equipment with speed, dexterity, and good eye-hand coordination using assistive devices. (having the ability to work quickly & safely in emergent situations is VERY important).
• To be free of reportable communicable diseases and chemical abuse.
• Able to perform repetitive movements and bend, move, and twist your body for extended periods of time.
SVSTI's ST Program's expectations are to prepare competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
SVSTI’s Institutional Student Learning Outcomes illustrate the entire institution’s commitment to ensuring that all graduates demonstrate proficiency in the following: (ISLO’s)
1-Critical thinking
2-Collaboration
3-Communication
4-Professionalism
SVSTI’s Programmatic Student Learning Outcomes are listed below: (PSLO’s)
Upon completion of this program students will be able;
1-Identify the basic principles of aseptic technique & Surgical procedures.
2-Demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to be a competent Surgical Technologist in a variety of settings, including hospitals, outpatient surgical facilities and other appropriate medical sites.
3-Demonstrate critical thinking, information management, professional and personal development, communication skills, respect and responsibility.
SVSTI’s course content is developed in alignment with specific Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs).
Upon completion of this program students will be able to;
ST1/ST111
ST2/ST222
ST3/ST333
Upon successful completion of the SVSTI’s Surgical Technology Program, graduates will be able to meet or exceed the following additional Program Learning Outcomes:
· Complete eligibility requirements for the National Certification Exam for Surgical Technologists
· Demonstrate knowledge of surgical technology skills by successfully accomplishing controlled learning activities
· Employ information obtained from biological, social, and psychological studies
· Obtain and use knowledge in providing culturally fitting patient care
· Apply acquired skills and knowledge within the clinical setting
· Practice surgical asepsis in diverse clinical backgrounds
· Function as a surgical team member to deliver excellence in patient care
· Demonstrate the development and consistent application of a surgical conscience
· Practice accountability, competence, and character demonstrative of a trained professional
· Practice ownership of learning and maintain responsibility and self-discipline to appraise and incorporate continued learning
· Relate and apply concepts of communication, reasoning, critical analysis, ethical behavior, and appropriate interpersonal interaction to situations in his or her career and personal life
· Demonstrate the social skills, professional appearance, attitudes, and behavior that employers expect of all SVSTI graduates
This Program is the hands-on application of the concepts and theory studied in Cengage & MindTap. Students learn and apply the basic principles of aseptic technique, basic surgical sanitation, disinfection and sterilization. The focus will be on surgical instrumentation preparation and sterilization; proper technique for surgical hand scrub, gowning, gloving, sterile field set-up and maintenance. Identification of instrumentation by function and use; draping, equipment names and use, safety precautions, and introduction to surgical procedures. Demonstrate proficiency in intermediate surgical skills to include: surgical case management, identify and correct sterility breaks, set up in appropriate time, and complete case in a logical sequence. Intermediate surgical procedures; application of fundamental concepts of Surgical Technology, preparation of the patient in surgery, pre-op and post-op duties, patient positioning, intermediate instrumentation, suture use and identification, drain use and identification.
SVSTI is accredited by ABHES (https://www.abhes.org).
Millions of people have surgery performed on them yearly. Surgeries can range from vital heart transplants to low-risk and common procedures. The success of these procedures relies on more than just surgeons. For a procedure to be a success it often requires a full team of trained medical staff members. A major position in nearly all surgical teams is the surgical technologist. Join our ST Program today to become a Surgical Technologist. What is a surgical technologist?
Surgical technologists work in hospitals and clinics around the world. While tasks may vary due to the needs of the operating staff, surgical technologists provide a variety of tasks to assist surgeons performing an operation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, surgical technologists work before, during and after a surgery.
What Surgical Technologists Do
Prior to an operation, surgical technologists help prepare the operating room. Some common tasks include prepping surgical instruments and equipment, preparing sterile drapes, and sterile solutions. Technologists may also prepare patients for surgery by washing, shaving, and disinfecting incision sites. They transport patients to the operating room, help position them on the operating table, and cover them with sterile surgical drapes. Technologists also help the surgical team put on sterile gowns and gloves. Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/surgical-technologists.htm.
During a surgery, surgical technologists can pass instruments and other sterile supplies to surgeons and surgeon assistants. They may hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments. Surgical technologists help prepare, care for, and dispose of specimens taken for laboratory analysis and help apply dressings. Some operate sterilizers, lights, or suction machines, and help operate diagnostic equipment. After an operation, surgical technologists may help transfer patients to the recovery room and clean and restock the operating room. Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/surgical-technologists.htm#tab-2.
You will be required to have a background check before placement. (depends on site) If you do not pass the background test you will not be placed at a clinical site and will be dropped from the Surgical Technology and/or Sterile Processing Programs.
You will be required by a clinical site to have a drug test before placement. (depends on site) If you do not pass drug test you will not be placed at a clinical site and will be dropped from the Surgical Technology and/or the Sterile Processing Programs.
Surgical Technology Program
You will need to pass each Surgical Tech course with a 70% or higher to continue to the next course. Please see the following;
Surgical Technology Core Portion of the Program - only available for those with a bachelor's degree or higher or all general education courses are transferrable (enrolling into the program).
Credit Hours
ST1/ST111 27 Credit Hours
352 Lecture Hours
144 Lab Hours
Total Hours= 496 Hours = 27 Credits
ST1 - Surgical Technology Theory 1 = 22 Credits
Anatomy & Physiology 1
Medical Terminology 1
Surgical Instruments 1
Ethics
AST Surgical Procedures 1
Microbiology
ST111 - Surgical Technology Lab = 5 Credits
ST2/ST222 26 Credit Hours
336 Lecture Hours
160 Lab Hours
Total= 480 Hours = 26 Credits
ST2 -Surgical Technology Theory 2 = 21 Credits
Anatomy & Physiology 2
Medical Terminology 2
Surgical Instruments 2
Human Behavior
AST Surgical Procedures 2
Pharmacology
ST222 - Surgical Technology Lab = 5 Credits
ST3/ST333 20 Credit Hours
140 Lecture Hours (including CST Prep which is required)
500 Clinical Hours
Total= 640 Hours
Total Credit Hours for Core Portion of the Program = 1616 Hours
73 Credit Hours
Surgical Technology Degree Program
Credit Hours
General Education Credit Hours = 15 Semester Credits
ENG101 English Writing & Composition - 48 Clock Hours = 3 Credit Hours
MAT101 Basic Mathematics for College Students - 48 Clock Hours = 3 Credit Hours
SPH205 Interpersonal Communication - 48 Clock Hours = 3 Credit Hours
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology - 48 Clock Hours = 3 Credit Hours
CLT102 Computer Concepts - 48 Clock Hours = 3 Credit Hours
Total Credit Hours for AAS Degree Program = 1856 Hours
88 Semester Credits
Surgical Technology School-ST Program
The distribution of the 120 procedures is as follows:
General Surgery cases (minimum of 30 cases)
A. Students must complete a minimum on 30 cases in General Surgery, 20 which must be performed in the First Scrub Role. The remaining 10 cases may be performed in either First or Second Scrub Role.
Specialty Cases (minimum of 90 cases)
B. Students must complete a minimum of 90 cases in various surgical specialties excluding General Surgery; 60 which must be performed in the First Scrub Role. The additional 30 cases may be performed in either the First or Second Scrub Role.
a. A minimum of 60 surgical specialty cases must be performed in the First Scrub Role and distributed amongst a minimum of four surgical specialties.
(1) A minimum of 10 cases in the First Scrub Role must be completed in each of the required minimum of four surgical specialties (40 cases total required).
(2) The additional 20 cases in the First Scrub Role may be distributed amongst any one surgical specialty or multiple surgical specialties.
b. The remaining 30 surgical specialty case may be performed in surgical specialty either in the First or Second Role.
Optional Surgical Specialties
1. Diagnostic endoscopy cases and vaginal delivery cases are not mandatory. However, up to 10 diagnostic endoscopic cases ad 5 vaginal delivery cases can be counted toward the maximum number of Second Scrub Role cases.
a. Diagnostic Endoscopy cases must be documented in the category of “Diagnostic Endoscopy”, rather than by specialty.
b. Vaginal delivery cases must be documented in the category of: “Labor & Delivery” rather than in the OB/GYN specialty.
Case Experience in the Second Scrub Role is not mandatory.
Observation cases must be documented, but do not count towards the 120 required cases.
Cases will be counted and documented according to surgical specialty (exception being diagnostic endoscopic cases.
All student activities associated with the curriculum, especially while students are completing clinical rotations, will be educational in nature. Students will not be substituted for hired staff personnel within the clinical institution, in the capacity of a surgical technologist.
ALL Surgical Technology Graduates will sit for the NBSTSA certification exam at successful completion of the Program.
SVSTI requires each and every student to participate in the Certification Prep class during the program and after externship to graduate from the program. We want to ensure every student is successful in passing their certification exam and require this as part of the curriculum.