Anyone a CST?

[bamamom]

I have been excepted into the Surgical Technologist program at college. I was wondering if any one on these boards is a CST and could tell me about it...as far as...how was the program, do you enjoy the work, would you do it again if you had it to do over, do you feel the pay is worth the job, do you wish you would have done something else in the medical field etc...

Thanks for all info, I'm having a hard time deciding if this is really what I'm thinking it is. It's going to be more difficult going back to college with 2 kids I know but I'm ready

 

[AZKathy]

I am not a CST but an OR Nurse. I don't think techs get paid what they are worth, especially a great tech! Don't forget that call comes with the job in the OR and if you don't like getting up in the middle of the night for emergency surgeries, you may not like it. I hate call, but I have been working in the OR for 25 years and I like my bed a lot more than my career!

I love scrubbing in the OR; it is my favorite thing to do at work and I envy that techs get to scrub all the time and I only get to scrub sometimes. It is a lot of fun if you like that kind of stuff.

Good luck in your career!

 

[DawnCt1]

I love scrubbing in the OR; it is my favorite thing to do at work and I envy that techs get to scrub all the time and I only get to scrub sometimes. It is a lot of fun if you like that kind of stuff.

Good luck in your career!

When I was a student nurse I loved to scrub in the OR. Because we were students the surgeons were always nice. I thought I would like being an OR nurse after I graduated. What a rude awakening. The RN's rarely got to scrub and I hated everything about circulating. I transferred out after four weeks. What amazed me was the "transformation" of the surgeons. They were rude and awful in the OR but when the mask came off, they were actually "almost human" out on the floors. That was back in the 70's. I am sure everyone is very nice every where they go now.

 

[bamamom]

I don't think techs get paid what they are worth, especially a great tech!

The pay vs. duties is what I was concerned about.

The scrubbing in is the part I am most excited about, I want to be right in the middle of it From what I have been told that in our area that the CST are a big part of the procedures now. I just don't want to put the time and money in and then not be happy....but the OR is really where I want to be

Thanks for your comments

 

[DawnCt1]

The pay vs. duties is what I was concerned about.

The scrubbing in is the part I am most excited about, I want to be right in the middle of it From what I have been told that in our area that the CST are a big part of the procedures now. I just don't want to put the time and money in and then not be happy....but the OR is really where I want to be

Thanks for your comments

Some people really enjoy it. The techs I knew worked very hard but loved scrubbing. In bigger hospitals they "specialize" in neuro or gyn or general surgery. There are instruments that are particular to those type of cases. They get excited about new equipment and they are "task focused people". The down side for me was, it was too task oriented. The patients are asleep so if you like patient interaction, which was what our entire focus was in nursing school, you may not like having your patients sleep through your work day. Would you have an opportunity to arrange for an observation period to help you decide?

 

[aunt2brant]

I actually was a scrub tech for about 3 years. I only worked in OB doing c-sections, d&c's and tubals. I liked it, but I worked at a regional hospital, I had to pull double duty...scrub and assisting nurses. Of course, when I helped, it was in newborn nursery, pediatrics or post-partum. I did not feel like I got paid enough, just under $9/hour. I went to UAB to scrub on L&D and made more ($12/hr). I got out of it b/c I had a horrible boss and I am in Graduate school going for a total opposite career field (public administration) ....but I did apply for a job in the main OR of a hospital where my mom works because I will make around $12/hr....and I find that a little hard to refuse since I am unemployed and looking (would rather find job in my field though )

Things that you will like about it: The patients are asleep and you don't have to interact with them a whole lot, you get to know doctors that you work with a lot and it becomes 'routine', you will also like it because the uniforms have to be laundered at the hospital which means you will not have to buy any!! .
Things you will not like about it: The patients are alseep and you don't have to interact with them a whole lot...I actually liked talking to people, they were nervous and I was able to help calm them down by reassuring them, stand on your feet without walking around ALL DAY, you have to wear ridiculous hat so never plan on going anywhere after work, If doctors are in bad mood...your day is going to reflect, I am not speaking for every doctor but the ones that I worked with were very moody and could set the tone with the look on their face when they walked in.

As for the $$, it depends on where you work....and I think that since so many schools are offering it as a program, the pay should actually increase when people are coming out of school and demanding it. I trained on the job...basically I was told to learn to scrub or get another job and I chose to scrub...glad I did now!!
Call a hospital in your town to see of you can go in and observed....I was always eager to show people, better to find out before you get in there if you are going to like it or not.

 

[bamamom]

Call a hospital in your town to see of you can go in and observed....I was always eager to show people, better to find out before you get in there if you are going to like it or not.

This is really what I would like to do....didn't think they would let just anyone do this, I figured you would have to be in school in order to do that. It's worth a try though

Thanks

 

[bamamom]

Thanks for your comments, this is the type of input I'm looking for....anyone else?

 

[AZKathy]

I don't know with HIPAA and patient confidentiality laws now that anyone can go into an OR and observe surgery. I have not seen anyone come in to observe unless in a school or board people directly working with financially helping the institution, etc.

Talk with your counsellor at the school and see what can be done. Also watch those Discovery Channel shows about extreme plastic surgery, trauma centers, etc. to see if you can stomach seeing those shows.

 

[bamamom]

Also watch those Discovery Channel shows about extreme plastic surgery, trauma centers, etc. to see if you can stomach seeing those shows.

I watch these shows all the time...love the stuff.

I got in touch with the hospital that I would hope to work at and they have a "shadowing opportunities" and she has given the man over this my info and he's suppose to be getting in touch with me about this... I would really like to see what all is involved with this career begin at the start of shift to the end.

 

[bamamom]