In an operating room, a surgical team of medical specialists collaborates to guarantee patient safety. These medical professionals who focus on providing surgical treatment include scrub nurses and surgical technologists. These two positions are very similar to one another, but understanding how they differ may help you choose the career path that's best for you. In this article, we describe the jobs of a scrub nurse and surgical technician and contrast them in terms of responsibilities, qualifications, and typical pay.
What is a scrub nurse?
A scrub nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who specializes in surgical care. They are a type of surgical nurse, also called a perioperative nurse. Perioperative nurses work in an operating room to provide patient care before and during surgical procedures. During surgery, nurses can do one of two functions. They can either circulate or scrub. A circulating nurse leaves the operating room to coordinate with family members and the outside health team. A scrub nurse maintains a sterile environment and assists the surgeon during an operation.
What does a scrub nurse do?
A scrub nurse's responsibilities can vary depending on the type of surgery and the healthcare organization. Typical scrub nurse duties can include:
- Following disinfecting guidelines to ensure patient safety
- Disinfecting their bodies and dressing in surgical gowns or scrubs
- Sterilizing the operating room and all surgical tools
- Reviewing patients' medical charts before procedures
- Preparing for operation by setting up surgical instruments
- Administering medication before, during or after surgery
- Collecting medical samples throughout the surgical procedure
- Assisting with various surgical technical procedures by following a surgeon's directions
- Handing surgical tools to a surgeon when needed
- Following proper safety checks during operation
- Keeping surgical instruments organized during surgery
- Monitoring the patient's health signals and looking for potential complications during surgery
- Creating a fast plan during emergencies to perform lifesaving treatments
- Collaborating with a surgical team to ensure patients receive effective and safe care
What is a surgical tech?
A surgical tech, also called a scrubbing tech or operating room tech, is a healthcare professional who assists with surgical care. They work to create and maintain a safe and sterile surgical environment. They can work in a variety of healthcare organizations and assist a surgical team before, during and after operations. Similar to surgical nurses, they can either scrub or circulate. When scrubbing, they assist the surgeon and maintain a sterile environment. When circulating, they stay on the perimeter of the operating room and work as a connection between the rest of the hospital and the surgical area.
What does a surgical tech do?
A surgical tech helps ensure patients' safety before, during and after surgery. Their duties can vary depending on the healthcare organization, but common responsibilities include:
- Preparing and sterilizing the operating room
- Disinfecting surgical equipment
- Counting supplies before surgery and maintaining inventory records
- Washing and disinfecting patients' incision sites to prepare for surgery
- Preparing medications and sterile solutions before a surgery
- Bringing patients to the operating room and transitioning them to the table
- Assisting surgeons during an operation by handing them medical tools
- Counting surgical tools during and after surgery to ensure patient safety
- Following medical guidelines to maintain a sterile, safe environment in the operating room
- Restocking medical instruments and supplies after surgery
- Applying dressings and bandages to wounds
- Cleaning the operating room and sterilizing all equipment after surgery
Differences between a scrub nurse and a surgical tech
A scrub nurse and surgical tech both work as part of a surgical team. They may have some overlapping duties depending on the healthcare organization, but it's important to understand the differences if you are choosing between these careers. Here are the key differences between the two roles:
Job duties
Surgical nurses and surgical techs may share some responsibilities. They can both scrub or circulate. When scrubbing, they may both prepare the operating room, sterilize equipment and hand medical instruments to the surgeon. The major difference between the two roles is that a scrubbing nurse has additional technical responsibilities. For example, they can administer medication and assist the surgeon with more technical procedures during surgery. They may also monitor health vitals and assist patients during sudden changes.
Surgical nurses can also work in the post-anesthesia recovery room to monitor and treat a patient after surgery. As registered nurses, they may switch areas of specialization more often than a surgical tech. This could allow them the opportunity to perform additional duties outside of the operating room.
Education
These two career paths have different educational requirements. Becoming a surgical tech requires a high school diploma and, in many states, a certification course. This can vary depending on location, but certification courses can take a few months or a few years to complete. Many surgical techs also earn their associate's degree, but this may be optional in some states.
Surgical nurses must complete education requirements to become registered nurses (RNs). This involves complete a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, attending a two-year associate nursing program or earning a degree from a teaching hospital.
License and certifications
Surgical nurses must complete the nursing license requirements in their states. This involves passing a medical board, completing education and fulfilling clinical training requirements. All surgical nurses must complete their state guidelines to apply for their RN license. Some surgical nurses may also choose to apply for additional licensing specifically in the surgical specialty. This is usually optional, although some hospitals or locations may require an additional license for surgical nursing.
Surgical techs may earn certification through an associate program or certificate course. This may be optional in some locations, although many states and hospitals require surgical tech certification.
Average salary
Each of these careers requires different education and responsibilities, which can affect average salaries. The national average salary for surgical nurses, including scrub nurses, is $118,766 per year. The average salary for surgical technicians is $71,104 per year. Your salary can vary depending on your geographic location, healthcare organization, education and years of experience.
More from
Medical
category
