Can't get training

I just recently graduated from a ST program. The clinicals I recieved provided no scrub experience. I interviewed for a job is Spokane and was honest with them. I told them I have absolutly no experience as a scrub tech, but what i could offer was a deep desire to learn the profession, dependability, hard worker, excellent team member, and no matter what a positive attitude at all times. I got hired for this job. I was so excited, finally after 2 yrs of school I get to learn the hands on, and an opportunity to start to become an excellent Surgical Technician. I started this job 4 weeks ago and no body wants to take the time to train me. They all are saying it is unfair to them that they have to train someone with no experience. I respect all these people,even though every day I walk into this place I am treated very poorly. What do I do, I love this field! I want to become one of the best of the best for the patients we help. But nobody wants to train me. I am now being told I have to learn in 2 weeks what it take one 6 months to learn. How do I progress in this field...

Hi LJ,
I was wondering how come you didn't get any scrubbing experience during your clinicals. What school did you go to? I myself is a recent graduate. At first I was placed in a bad privet surgery center were the people trained me very little I was mostly cleaning there instruments. So I complained to my school and told them that I want to redo my fist month. I told them I paid so much money for my school that I should get the right training and not be ripped off. They let me redo my fist month and placed me in another hospital that was better. I know what you feel about precentors not wanting to train you because of lack of experience. I've been there. I felt bad myself. One reason I found out why the surge tech don't want to train is some hospitals don't pay them extra money for training people like us, and its also stressful for them because they have to always pay attention to us. Also, some don't like to teach at all. So if I was you, try not to feel so bad. Because it is not your fault. They were learning at one point. When I was training with precentors like that I still tried to ask question knowing they don't want to answer or teach me. It made me feel bad but I also knew its part of there job to train us so you have to kinda make them train you as much you can. And they'll have to deal with it. Some surge techs will even make you feel that your not so smart try not to pay any attention to that, still ask questions when you don't understand. Try to pay attention to the surgeons what they like during surgery. I really do know your pain. Do the best you can. At least you got a job . It's been 3 months and I'm still looking for one. Nobody wants to hire entry level surge techs which is very frustrating for me. You might want to look for another hospital that might have nicer people. But it is hard to find a job. Maybe work as long as you can in this hospital then leave them when you get a chance to.
Good luck to you.

LJ in Spokane, Washington said: I just recently graduated from a ST program. The clinicals I recieved provided no scrub experience. I interviewed for a job is Spokane and was honest with them. I told them I have absolutly no experience as a scrub tech, but what i could offer was a deep desire to learn the profession, dependability, hard worker, excellent team member, and no matter what a positive attitude at all times. I got hired for this job. I was so excited, finally after 2 yrs of school I get to learn the hands on, and an opportunity to start to become an excellent Surgical Technician. I started this job 4 weeks ago and no body wants to take the time to train me. They all are saying it is unfair to them that they have to train someone with no experience. I respect all these people,even though every day I walk into this place I am treated very poorly. What do I do, I love this field! I want to become one of the best of the best for the patients we help. But nobody wants to train me. I am now being told I have to learn in 2 weeks what it take one 6 months to learn. How do I progress in this field...

Hi!

Wow! How upsetting. To have graduated from a Surgical Tech School and had NO Surgical SCrub experience? For one, I would definately report the school to the Association of Surgical Technologists - you can get on there website. perhaps the school you attended wasn't actually an accredited school. I would find out and see if you could even go as far as to get your money back. I believe that it is good to have school work as a foundation, but the majority of your understanding the book work is actually what you gain in a hospital setting. You might have to relocate. Try a Teaching facility associated with a Medical University - The one I work at in Vermont is GREAT for teaching new people - But with no experience even that might be tough - don't give up - a strong personality is what they look for in the OR - so Keep up the fight!

LJ,
I have been a surgical technologist for 15 years, and a clinical instructor for 2 separate surgical tech schools. It is completely unacceptable that you received no clinical scrub experience. A mandatory requirement to complete any accredited program is for the preceptors as well as your clinical instructors to evaluate your scrub skills in all of the surgical specialties. A minimum number of cases must be demonstrated "solo" before graduation is granted. How on earth you managed to graduate from any surgical tech program without scrubbing is unbelievable.
I do sympathize with your frustration on begging for on the job training. Make your desire to learn is known everyday to your charge nurse or scheduler and someone will eventually make a commitment to you. If this does not work, your best bet is likely to try to get hired into the nearest county hospital. Accept the cut in pay and get after it! There is no substitute for the experience you will receive, whether the surrounding staff is in the mood or not. In the county environment, employees either sink or swim...most will swim! You will be shocked at your progress. After 2 years in a county hospital as a surgical technologist, you can go anywhere in the world and sail. I have precepted students and new employees for years and yes, it is tedious and demanding. This particular role that we have all chose to earn our living comes with tremendous responsibility. Speaking from the overworked, underpaid, overstressed preceptors' perspective I can offer this as satisfaction: when the time came for my own child to undergo surgery I was more than confident to request staff that I had trained myself! This needs to be in part of your request when asking for assistance and guidance. Let your preceptor know that you wish to learn what would be expected if her/his family was your patient. This should peak some interest and they should look at you as a return on the investment of their time. Good Luck!

I am a program director of an accredited ST program and our students are required to scrub 140 cases prior to graduation, with 40 of those being solo. I am pretty confident that you did not attend a CAAHEP accredited school from your description. Unfortunately some non accredited schools are very good at not giving out this information to students. If you did attend an accredited school however, you should complain to the ARC-ST, they review all accredited programs for Surgical Technology. You can go to www.caahep.org and look up your school to see if it was an accredited program.

mbourbonnais in Boise, Idaho said: I am a program director of an accredited ST program and our students are required to scrub 140 cases prior to graduation, with 40 of those being solo. I am pretty confident that you did not attend a CAAHEP accredited school from your description. Unfortunately some non accredited schools are very good at not giving out this information to students. If you did attend an accredited school however, you should complain to the ARC-ST, they review all accredited programs for Surgical Technology. You can go to www.caahep.org and look up your school to see if it was an accredited program.

hello, i am a surgical tech, i have been doin it for about 2 yrs now. My school was accredited and yes i also had to scrub about 140 cases before graduation...a lot of the program was hands on. It is one of those thankless fields...lots of stress lots of pleasing... lots of different attitudes.....

i can feel for you i did my clinical at a surgery center couple of scrubs in gi cases, i found out all the students after me are going to o.r.s not surgery center. can you give me some advise should i try to get pd work on weekends please help.

Why can't people who are going into the medical profession spell correctly. It absolutely blows my mind how I can get on this site and read so many stories that have grammatical errors in them. Now I know everyone, including myself, forgets sometimes but come on. If you are going to post....Take the time to make sure you got the spelling down so that people understand what you are saying.....I really don't want to offend anyone and I wish you all the best, especially for trying. Just think about it ..

DO NOT ATTEND HIGH TECH OR ANTHEM COLLEGE YOU WON'T GET A JOB THEY WILL MISS LEAD YOU AND TELL YOU THAT THEY ARE ACCREDITED AND THEY ARE NOT. SO NOW MY HUSBAND IS HAVING PROBLEMS FINDING A JOB SINCE THEY ARE NOT AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE. THIS IS A BIG ISSUE . SO IF ANYONE KNOWS WHO WILL HIRE A WONDERFUL SURGICAL TECH , AND IS CERTIFIED FROM A NON- ACCREDITED SCHOOL INFO WILL BE GREAT. THANKS. SUSAN

I am a recent graduate from a ST program here in OH. We spent a year and a half in clinics, totaling over 1000 hours. To those of you thinking about this field, take the time to do some research!!!! It doesn't make any sense to spend time/money at a school that is not going to provide you with the tools you need to be successful. Granted, I am not employed yet, but it's not because i do not have any hands-on experience. I love my occupation and I am truly glad I worked my way through the program. As one person mentioned, you have to have a strong personality to work in this field. If you want it bad enough, fight for it. Get as much exposure as you possibly can. Stay strong and keep at it.

Wow! I have to say, after reading all of the problems that people have gone through in their quest to find a job or get training as a surgical technician is overwhelming. My situation is a bit different somewhat... I actually obtained my surgical technician certificate and graduated from a community college here in Massachusetts in 1993. Since then, I've been working as a Medical Assistant by trade, due to not finding a job after graduating. I did manage to land an interview at one of the most renowned hospitals in the country to find out during the interview, that they questioned the college's credibility. This is in part to a newspaper report that a "few students" were taking the college to court because of not get enough scrub time. At that time, I could only sit in the interview composed. Because I knew nothing of this, until after the fact receiving a letter in the mail of these accounts! Now its been ten years, and I feel like my time and energy has been wasted. I also never got a chance to take the certification examination. At the time, I was a single mom trying to make ends meet for my daughter and I. I still do work in the field as Medical Assistant. But I yearn and love procedures and the challenge and excitement of the OR. I am presently in school to become an RN. But I would still like to tap into the surgical aspect of the field. Maybe become an OR Nurse. But I would of loved to have gotten a job or have the experience background as an ST. Any advice? Stumped!

karen- what school did you go to??? because im thinking about ST as a profession and im from worcester...