Why Are Surgical Technicians Often Called “Scrub Techs”?

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It’s Not Just the Clothing

In contrast to the nurse uniforms, surgeons did not wear any type of special clothing, until the twentieth century, when a higher consciousness of the need for greater cleanliness and aseptic techniques changed the way team members dressed who worked in an operating room. Scrubs were designed to fit loosely and comfortably, giving the wearer full freedom of movement. The purpose of scrubs was to have clothing that could be washed easily and was inexpensive enough to discard once stains made them unacceptable to wear.

Another advantage of scrubs was that you could change into them upon arriving at the work place, leaving behind possible contaminants from the streets. They became the mandatory wear for anyone entering the operating arena, and a necessary part of the surgical technician’s attire.

The Surgical Technician Scrubs Everything

The greatest responsibility of the surgical technician is to ensure a completely sterile environment for the operating room. The scrub tech uses germicides and sterilizers to clean all surgical equipment. They count and arrange the sponges, needles and surgical instruments to be used in operations, ensuring that none of the sterile packages have been compromised.

Their scrubbing skills extend to the preparation of the patient awaiting surgery. They wash, shave and disinfect the incision area for the operation. After the procedure, the tech scrub returns the patient to the recovery room, and helps the scrub nurses clean up the operating room.

Other Scrub Tech Duties

It’s the goal of the scrub tech to ensure bacteria are kept to the absolute minimum. The tech scrub sets up sterile surgical drapes to confine the area around the patient from contamination. It is usually the tech scrub’s job to help the doctor’s and nurses into their masks, gloves and surgical clothing. The scrub tech also makes sure that all the equipment is in good working order and ready for use, including the lights and machinery.

The tech scrub will be the closest person on hand to the surgeon. The tech scrub hands supplies, such as surgical tools and sponges to the surgeon. It’s the tech scrub who holds skin retractors to keep a surgical site open and cuts the sutures after the surgeon closes an incision. If the surgeon takes tissue samples, such as biopsies, the tech scrub takes the specimen and prepares it for analysis.

The surgical technician is the last word in cleanliness. The incredibly detailed task involves the careful inspection of all equipment and supplies to make sure they are sterilized properly. After surgery, the surgical tech counts all sponges, needles and other items used, so everything is accounted for and disposable items are properly disposed.

The scrub tech must have excellent fine motor skills in order to be able to handle delicate and sometimes very sharp instruments correctly and safely. They must complete at least a year of instruction, which includes course work in anatomy, patient preparation, medical law and ethics. They must also complete an internship under experienced technicians.