While I was enlisted in the US Navy, I was privileged to attend the Naval School of Health Sciences, and study Surgical Technology. I graduated with honors, but unfortunately, the military at the time was not paying for its Surgical Tech graduates to nationally certify. I performed all sorts of surgical cases at the major military facilities I was posted. During my eight years as a surgical tech, I had performed over ten thousand surgical cases, working hand to hand with various surgeons in the operation bed from different specialties which included: General Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmic Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, and Urology.
As a military surgical …show more content…
I was required to participate in all tasks that were within my practice and others that were beyond my specialty. My day could start as early as five in the morning. I could check in patients, Introduce myself, verify if I had right patient including verbally confirming the correct body limb that was to be surgically operated on. I guided them to the preparation room giving them a patient gown, socks, and a heated blanket to keep them warm and relaxed as I answered the concerns the patients had. I checked their vital signs and drew blood for laboratory tests. I introduced intravenous injection and started running intravenous fluids for the anesthesia provider to come inject anesthesia medication in the fluids. When the patient was ready for surgery, the operating room nurse together with the anesthesia, the surgeon and I could wheel the patient to the operating room wear the required sterile gear and perform the required surgery. I was also responsible to help nurses in the recovery bay after patient’s surgery. I was a senior technician in charge of five other junior technicians who we worked as a team. I oversaw ordering of surgical supplies and surgical implants making sure we had enough supplies for future surgical cases. All the body tissues
As a military surgical …show more content…
I was required to participate in all tasks that were within my practice and others that were beyond my specialty. My day could start as early as five in the morning. I could check in patients, Introduce myself, verify if I had right patient including verbally confirming the correct body limb that was to be surgically operated on. I guided them to the preparation room giving them a patient gown, socks, and a heated blanket to keep them warm and relaxed as I answered the concerns the patients had. I checked their vital signs and drew blood for laboratory tests. I introduced intravenous injection and started running intravenous fluids for the anesthesia provider to come inject anesthesia medication in the fluids. When the patient was ready for surgery, the operating room nurse together with the anesthesia, the surgeon and I could wheel the patient to the operating room wear the required sterile gear and perform the required surgery. I was also responsible to help nurses in the recovery bay after patient’s surgery. I was a senior technician in charge of five other junior technicians who we worked as a team. I oversaw ordering of surgical supplies and surgical implants making sure we had enough supplies for future surgical cases. All the body tissues