Surgical Technology
June 20, 2013
Certification
The field of surgical technology is home to a number of organizations and designations. This means that the people who work within the field are committed to making sure that surgical technology remains a great career choice. So as you consider becoming a surgical tech, it’s wise to understand the following points about surgical tech certification requirements.
Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) In order to call yourself a Certified Surgical Technologist or CST, you will need to successfully pass the NBSTSA exam and maintain your certification status. The Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) designation (awarded by the NBTSA) must be renewed every four years. In order to maintain this certification, you will be required to earn 60 hours of approved continuing education over each four-year period and retake and pass the NBSTSA exam at the end of each period. The best option for most people who want to know how to become a surgical technologist is to get a formal education from a school with a surgical tech program. In addition, you should consider the following points when selecting a school. Keep your future ambitions in mind. If you think you might want to pursue a more advanced degree later on, then it's wise to ask whether the credits you earn as part of your surgical technology program can count toward a higher degree. The clinical externship portion of your surgical tech education is very important. Many schools can place you in a hospital setting for your real-life training, which could give you the chance to scrub in on the widest variety of surgical cases possible. (Plus, hospitals sometimes hire the best and most eager surgical tech students from among those performing clinical externships at their facilities.) After you graduate the first priority is a good idea to get professionally certified. This will make you more marketable as you search for
References: http://nbstsa.org/examinations-csfa.html http://www.caahep.org/ http://evolve.elsevier.con/Fuller/surgical http://www.sitelevel.com/query?crid=324504a4437070e5&query=surgical+technology&B1.x=0&B1.y=0 http://www.arcstsa.org/index.php/students/students-surgical-technology/ Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice, Sixth Edition, 2013, by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier INC.