What Leadership Skills are Necessary to be a Surgical Technologist?

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In the operating room, the statement rings repeatedly, “There is no ‘I’ in team.” The surgical technologist must have excellent leadership skills, so the patient can receive excellent care. Surgical techs are often in charge of students, and must have fortitude to initiate processes that are pertinent to every day work in the operating room.

Competency

Other team members who are legally responsible in the operating room want to know that the surgical tech is competent. Competency is maintained by excellent training, continuing education, self-confidence, and knowledge of all procedures as well as preferences that are applicable to the facility. When a team member is incompetent on an ongoing basis, the situation should be reviewed and action should be taken.

Honesty

Honesty is one of the most important attributes of any team member in the operating arena. When left alone to set up sterile procedures, a break in sterile technique may accidentally occur. The surgical technologist must be honest about these breaks in technique because the patient’s surgical outcome hinges on his or her honesty to admitting this mistake. A contaminated sterile field can be extremely expensive and incredibly taxing to recreate. So, if the tech knows of a break in technique and doesn’t report it, the patient might truly suffer from this individual’s dishonesty.

Be an Example

Operating personnel move in the same direction of one another. If there are complainers and slackers, it perpetrates more complainers and slackers. An excellent attitude from the majority of people in an operating room team will move people to get in the same flow. Of course, not all will comply. But, a good surgical tech with good leadership skills can motivate team members to follow suit and keep up the morale. A leader should be the motivator, an initiator. He or she must be a key element in the planning and implementing of new ideas, programs, policies, events, etc.

Empower People

Surgical technologists who are confident and well established, will be excellent teachers. They will share information with team members and be positive with support to the team. Students will definitely glean empowerment from good teachers in the field. When there is sabotage and unwillingness to share information in this profession, the patient suffers, as well as the other team members. This also hinders the flow of daily progress and unity among the team.

Change

The world of medicine can always guarantee one thing: change. Surgical technologists with excellent leadership skills will embrace change, knowing that many changes bring benefit to patients and staff alike. Flowing in these ever changing times will bring confidence to the surgeons and managers who learn to trust the surgical tech to comply with changes that are eminent.

Shared Vision

For many operating rooms, with this change often comes a need to knock down a few walls and start new programs. Knowing these changes may make life a bit difficult; it is easy for surgery crews to balk on new ideas. When everyone is in agreement with the vision that is coming, it makes change much easier on everyone involved. Excellent leadership skills will encompass the surgical tech’s willingness to share a vision, work around the messiness of growing, and push forward into more modern ways to accommodate the demands of healthcare.