Surgical Tech Course

Lesson 1 • Operating Room Environment

Describes OR suite layout, traffic patterns, and environmental controls. Familiarity with the physical space is prerequisite to safe movement and instrument management.

Lesson 2 • Medical Terminology for Surgery

Builds vocabulary of anatomical, procedural, and pharmacological terms used in the OR. Accurate terminology is essential for documentation, communication, and instrument identification.

Lesson 3 • The Surgical Technologist Role

Defines the surgical technologist's duties, responsibilities, and position within the surgical team. Establishes professional identity as the foundation for all subsequent clinical learning.

Lesson 4 • Surgical Team Structure

Identifies all members of the sterile and non-sterile surgical team and their interdependencies. Understanding team dynamics supports safe, coordinated patient care.

Lesson 1 • Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

Covers hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and isolation protocols. These precautions form the behavioral baseline for every OR encounter.

Lesson 2 • Disinfection Levels and Agents

Distinguishes high-, intermediate-, and low-level disinfection and appropriate agent selection. Correct disinfection level prevents cross-contamination between patients.

Lesson 3 • Sterilization Methods and Monitoring

Compares steam, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide plasma, and dry-heat sterilization. Monitoring methods verify sterility assurance for every instrument set.

Lesson 4 • Modes of Infection Transmission

Explains contact, droplet, airborne, and vehicle transmission routes in the surgical setting. Identifying transmission modes directs appropriate barrier and environmental controls.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Aseptic Technique

Defines the nine core principles of asepsis and their rationale. These principles govern every action taken within or near the sterile field.

Lesson 2 • Surgical Hand Scrub and Rub

Teaches counted-stroke and timed scrub methods and alcohol-based surgical hand rub technique. Proper hand antisepsis is the first step in establishing the sterile team.

Lesson 3 • Setting Up the Sterile Back Table

Instructs systematic arrangement of instruments, supplies, and solutions on the back table. Organized setup reduces errors and supports efficient instrument passing during surgery.

Lesson 4 • Sterile Draping of the Patient

Demonstrates draping sequences for common surgical positions and incision sites. Proper draping defines the sterile field and protects the patient from contamination.

Lesson 1 • Powered Surgical Equipment

Covers pneumatic, electric, and battery-powered drills, saws, and dermatomes. Safe operation requires understanding power source, speed settings, and sterile attachment handling.

Lesson 2 • Classification of Surgical Instruments

Categorizes instruments by function: cutting, clamping, retracting, grasping, and suturing. Classification enables rapid identification and logical back table organization.

Lesson 3 • Instrument Handling and Passing

Develops safe, efficient techniques for loading, passing, and receiving instruments. Proper passing technique reduces operative time and minimizes sharps injuries.

Lesson 4 • Instrument Identification and Naming

Teaches names, distinguishing features, and common uses of standard instrument sets. Accurate identification enables correct response to surgeon requests without hesitation.

Lesson 1 • Anesthesia Types and Techniques

Distinguishes general, regional, monitored anesthesia care, and local anesthesia. Understanding anesthesia types helps the surgical tech anticipate patient positioning and monitoring needs.

Lesson 2 • Anesthesia Agents and Adjuncts

Identifies inhalation agents, intravenous induction drugs, neuromuscular blockers, and reversal agents. Familiarity with these agents supports recognition of anesthesia-related emergencies.

Lesson 3 • Anesthesia Emergencies and Response

Covers malignant hyperthermia, anaphylaxis, laryngospasm, and airway emergencies. The surgical tech's rapid, correct response can be life-saving in these critical situations.

Lesson 4 • Medications Used on the Sterile Field

Covers hemostatic agents, local anesthetics, antibiotics, and irrigation solutions passed to the surgeon. Correct labeling and verification prevent medication errors during procedures.

Lesson 1 • Preoperative Patient Assessment

Reviews chart verification, allergy confirmation, consent validation, and NPO status. Thorough preoperative assessment prevents wrong-site surgery and medication errors.

Lesson 2 • Positioning Devices and Padding

Identifies bean bags, stirrups, arm boards, chest rolls, and pressure-relief pads. Correct device selection and placement prevent nerve compression and pressure injuries.

Lesson 3 • Skin Preparation and Draping Sequence

Demonstrates antiseptic skin prep agents, application technique, and prep-to-drape sequence. Correct skin prep reduces microbial load at the incision site before draping.

Lesson 4 • Surgical Positioning Fundamentals

Covers supine, prone, lateral, lithotomy, Trendelenburg, and sitting positions. Each position is linked to its physiological effects and associated injury risks.

Lesson 1 • Wound Closure Techniques

Covers layered closure, interrupted and continuous suture patterns, stapling, and tissue adhesives. Mastery of closure techniques enables the scrub tech to anticipate and support the surgeon.

Lesson 2 • Surgical Counts Procedure

Establishes the protocol for counting sponges, sharps, and instruments before, during, and after surgery. Accurate counts are the primary defense against retained surgical items.

Lesson 3 • Wound Healing Physiology

Explains primary, secondary, and tertiary intention healing and factors that impair wound healing. Understanding healing physiology guides selection of closure materials and dressing types.

Lesson 4 • Suture Materials and Needles

Compares absorbable and non-absorbable sutures, natural and synthetic materials, and needle types. Correct suture selection matches tissue type, tension, and desired healing timeline.

Lesson 1 • Orthopedic Surgical Procedures

Addresses total joint replacement, fracture fixation, and arthroscopy setups and instrument needs. Orthopedic cases require mastery of powered equipment, implants, and fluoroscopy safety.

Lesson 2 • Neurosurgical and Ophthalmic Procedures

Introduces craniotomy, spinal fusion, and ophthalmic microsurgery setups and instrument requirements. These specialties demand exceptional precision, microscope management, and delicate instrument handling.

Lesson 3 • Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery

Teaches laparoscopic and robotic-assisted procedure setup, trocar placement, and camera management. Minimally invasive techniques require specialized instrument handling and insufflation knowledge.

Lesson 4 • General and Abdominal Surgery

Covers laparotomy, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, and bowel resection setups and techniques. These high-frequency procedures form the core of general surgical tech practice.