Do you really want to be
Successful in the Surgical World?
Please note, this newsletter will absolutely bring out the cranky ol' surgical tech critics...
So, before I share these tips with you today, I want you to know that there is always that occasional critic out there who will have something negative to say about my motives or my words of encouragement.
AND you know something, I LOVE IT!!!
Yep, I love to hear from the occasional critic who "puts me in my place" and has some little critical negative comment to say about my motives and how I try to help others move forward & become successful with a surgical tech background.
Truly, the critics ALWAYS make me smile, shake my head, and say to myself, "They just don't get it"...
However, if it weren't for the critics out there, I'd probably never be reminded of how far I've come and what it was like when I was stuck in the same mind set as they are.
Now, with all of that being said...
Do YOU really want to be successful in the Surgical World?
Are you ready to take your Surgical Tech Education & Experience to the NEXT LEVEL?
Hopefully you answered YES!
If you are not utilizing your surgical tech education or see absolutely no future based on your current situation, PREPARE YOURSELF for the TOP 10 TIPS to take your surgical tech education, experience, & knowledge to propel yourself to the next level.
I've always said that an education in surgical technology can open up doors that most people in the surgical world don't even think about or for that matter even know about.
LISTEN to me, please...
You can Become
Very SUCCESSFUL
with an education in
SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY!!!
Now, I'm not yelling, rather I'm just passionate about the fact that surgical techs have a UNIQUE & SPECIALIZED set of training, skills, & tools which have the potential to open up doors that the critics and negative thinkers simply don't even bother to approach.
Let me just make one more little side note about the surgical tech critics out there; I was once one of you!
Yep, I too was once my own worst critic and saw absolutely no future as a surgical tech.
There was a time in my surgical tech career where I simply dreaded going to work....
I mean, I couldn't stand dealing with the surgeons getting all impatient, or having a circulator in the room who had to see every single little tip of every instrument during a count, or some charge nurse telling me my relief will be a little late, or getting stuck on the cases nobody else wanted to do, and the list can go on & on....
BUT, after many long roads, many unnecessary battles, and plenty of hard knocks in the O.R., and some serious attitude adjusting, a couple of doors opened up for me and the next thing you know, an entirely new world in surgery.
ALL THANKS TO MY EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, & BACKGROUND AS A SURGICAL TECH!
Are you ready to take that next step?
I mean, are YOU really ready to make a commitment to take the steps required & possibly change your entire life?
Well, if you've read this far, chances are YOU ARE READY FOR A CHANGE!
And if you're one of the critics, I know you're still with me too because you're just looking for something to blast me with. ~Rock on my friends...:)
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TOP 10 TIPS
to take your
Surgical Tech
Education & Experience
To the next level...
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1) Be Positive!
As simple as this sounds, it's really very easy to get caught up with the negative aspects of the O.R. environment. Every job on this planet has some type of negative force that is more than happy to pull you in and keep you down.
Staying positive, thinking positive, & feeling positive will keep you positive.
YOU WILL POSITIVELY STANDOUT & your life in the O.R. will be much more rewarding.
____________________
2) Be Prepared!
Once again, a simple way to get to the next level & move forward!
Prepare for your cases in advance by reading & reviewing procedures from my favorite O.R. surgical book: Alexander's.
Trust me, you will surprised how your professional confidence & value will increase when you take that extra step of preparation to really "know your craft"
It's not just about picking everything for the case from the surgeons preference card, its about preparing yourself with every possible piece of info you can about the cases you scrub.
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3) Take the EXTRA STEP!
This is a part of being prepared.
Take the extra step to prepare & review for the cases you scrub.
If there is something that MAY BE needed on a case or something the doc MIGHT USE, have it available just in case.
Whether it's an extra step stool or an extra set of specialty gloves or an extra pack of 3-0 silk ties on the case cart, take the extra step and go above the "just getting by" mode.
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4) CARE!
It's amazing how many people go to work, do the time, clock out, and just really don't seem to care.
Listen, CARE about being the best scrub you can be!
Whether you are doing "lumps & bumps" all day long or you're on a Level 1 Trauma Heart Transplant team, CARE about being the best.
When you care, it shows & it makes your career more rewarding!
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5) Learn On the Job!
We all know that surgical tech school is designed to get you into the O.R. in order to start an entry level career position as a surgical tech. There is just no way possible to become really proficient in all of the services until you start working on the job and get your feet wet.
That being said, learn as much about every service in the surgical environment you're working in and take advantage of the opportunities of being able to learn these services on the job.
Learn from the ST veterans, learn from the RN's who've "been there", learn from the surgeons, learn from all of the O.R. positions & professionals, and just keep learning....
Realize this too, you're in a position to get a FREE EDUCATION on the job, from the experienced O.R. professionals that many others have to pay $$$ to get....
Take advantage of your professional circumstances and learn from every single position you work with in the O.R.
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6) Pace Yourself!
Don't try to learn everything at once!
Give yourself some time to grow as a surgical tech and get the hands on experience required to build a solid foundation.
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7) Get Certified!
Although a national certification DOES NOT mean one is a good surgical tech, having a national certification may increase your marketability, "professional stature", & does show that you have a specific knowledge base required to pass a national certification exam.
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8) Travel!
Surgical tech traveling is, by far, one of the greatest ways to expand your knowledge base, increase your experience, and solidify your professional foundation as a surgical tech.
Surgical tech traveling has become EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE and employers can be highly selective these days.
Therefore, in order to increase your chances of becoming a successful traveler, plan on being certified, having at least 2 years of recent O.R. experience, and know how to scrub the high demand ST Travel services, i.e., Ortho -totals and/or spines, CV, Neuro, Trauma, or Eyes. These are some of the most "In-Demand" requirements for surgical tech travelers these days.
While surgical tech traveling is Not REQUIRED to build a successful surgical career, it will absolutely help.
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9) Give Back!
You can "give back" in the O.R. whether you have 20 years of experience or 1 month of experience by helping others in & around the O.R. with something they may be struggling with and you already have a grip on.
Whether it's helping them organize a cleaner back-table or showing them how to scrub a bilateral knee replacement. Give back to the O.R. community you work with & you'll be amazed how this will reinforce your own set of specialized skills.
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10) Never Give Up!
It can be so easy to get discouraged as a surgical tech.
Being on the front line in the O.R. can be scary, emotional, educational, challenging, stressful, fun, rewarding, and sometimes downright draining.
We all experience one or all of these feelings at some point in the O.R.
The key here is to keep on keeping on and never give up.
Take the good days with the bad and then refer back to number one in this list.
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So there you have it, 10 tips to take your career to the next level.
If you're wondering how these tips can take your career to the next level, well, just think about these tips as the ingredients required to build a successful career in the O.R.
You cannot simply add one ingredient and expect your career to rise.
It takes most of the ingredients here to build a solid surgical tech foundation that will prepare you for the success you are meant to have!
If you will actively work on mixing these ingredients into your professional repertoire (bag of skills), you'll be amazed how doors will start to open up and opportunities will start to present themselves.
Believe me, there are doors of opportunity that are just waiting for you to open once you've laid the foundation and mixed these ingredients into the "KEY" that will unlock the doors to your future.
You are meant for greatness and to have a life filled with success!
Don't ever let anyone make you feel anything less....
Please feel free to comment, question, or contact me anytime.
Critics, bring it on... :)
Until next time,
Robert Prince
p.s. for a free PDF copy of this newsletter, click here
