Welcome to SVSTI- ABHES Accredited Surg Tech Program at Northern CA's premier School.

 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

• Demonstrate application of principles of asepsis in a knowledgeable manner that provides for optimal patient care in the operating room (Psychomotor)
• Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of basic instruments, surgical equipment, and basic Surgical procedures and Medical Terminology  (Psychomotor)
• Demonstrate responsibility, self-discipline, and surgical conscience (Affective)
• Apply basic understanding of Anatomy & Physiology & appropriate medical  terminology (Cognitive)

ST2/ST222

• Perform fundamental concepts of intermediate procedures, patient positioning, and surgical draping (Psychomotor)
• Employ critical thinking skills in their identification of variations and analysis of information and/or equipment during surgical procedures (Psychomotor and Cognitive)
• Demonstrate  responsibility, self-discipline, and surgical conscience & communication to the surgical team (Affective)
• Apply basic understanding of Anatomy & Physiology, Ethics & appropriate medical  terminology (Cognitive)
• Develop effective interpretation and expression of ideas through written and oral communication in the operating room (Affective)

ST3/ST333

• Perform advanced  applications of surgical procedures (Psychomotor)
• Identify pharmacological agents and their purpose in surgery
• Identify various types of anesthesia used in surgery 
• Demonstrate effective  communication skills with appropriate surgical staff (Affective)
• Apply basic  understanding of Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Human Behavior,  Ethics, Pharmacology & appropriate Medical Terminology (Cognitive)
• Demonstrate the ability to perform the role of first scrub on all basic general and specialty surgical cases as defined by the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) (Psychomotor and Cognitive)

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. 

Silicon Valley Surgi-Tech Institute is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs(www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Accreditation Review Council On Education In Surgical Technology And Surgical Assisting( Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (arcstsa.org).  

SVSTI is also 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.