Academics

Surgical Technologist

Surgical Technologists are educated professionals who have graduated from an Accredited Surgical Technology program. By following the cognitive model of a positive care approach, Surgical Technologists are dedicated to life long learning. Surgical Technologists may be Certified or Registered with the state of Illinois. The Surgical Technologist is responsible for planning and facilitating the surgical environment of assigned cases providing professional intra-operative expertise to a wide variety of surgical diagnoses. In doing so, demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care that is appropriate to the ages of the patient served (age newborn through adult). Each student receives a variety of clinical experiences in all the surgical specialties at two to three Bloomington/Peoria hospitals. Procedures may include and are not limited to: Pediatrics, Thoracic, Kidney Transplant, Pancreas Transplant, Multiple Organ Procurement, Vascular, Interventional Radiology, Orthopaedics, Labor and Delivery, Neuro, EENT, Urology, advanced laparoscopy, Bariatrics, General, Gyne, Plastics, Dental, Oncology, Robotics, Laser, Endoscopy…

Qualified instructors and/or preceptors are with students at each clinical location.

Courses include study of basic patient care practices, aseptic technique, surgical anatomy, surgical procedures, working as a team, communication skills, ethical/legal aspects of safe patient care, and surgical supplies and instruments. Today’s Surgical Technologist also must know how to assemble and trouble shoot high tech equipment and instrumentation. ICC’s program is a fast paced demanding curriculum requiring higher order thinking processes. There is a requirement that all missed clinical and lab times are made-up. For the current 8 and 10 credit hour courses, students are scheduled in lab or class 22-24 hours per week. Students are advised to work less than 20 hours per week and to complete the anatomy and physiology and medical terminology requirement prior to beginning the SURTK sequence.

If you are interested in the field of Surgical Technology it is recommended that you sign up for SURTK 100 for a one day preview of the program.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Surgical Technologist Program are prepared to seek employment in a variety of health care settings. Career Opportunities include and are not limited to:

• Major Operating Room Surgical Suites
• Outpatient Surgical Facilities
• Obstetrical Departments
• Oral Surgery Centers
• Plastic Surgeon Surgical Suites
• Private Scrub for a Surgeon
• First Assist
• Diener (help pathologist during autopsy)
• Harvesting Team for the Red Cross

Local Salaries

Locally, starting wages begin around 15.00/per. Salaries will vary between facilities.

Requirements upon Program Acceptance

• Drug screen, fingerprint criminal background check, physical exam, and immunizations.
• Documentation of current CPR certification from the American Heart Association (AHA) Healthcare Provider (HLTH 041 at ICC or equivalent) or American Red Cross (ARC) Professional Rescuer and Health Care Provider. CPR certification must remain current throughout the program.

Admission to the Program:

• High School graduate with GPA 2.6 or higher, or equivalent (i.e. GED of 165 or higher) OR 9 hours of required courses from program sequence with a “C” or higher.
• Placement into ENGL 110.
• ICC grade point average (GPA) of a 2.0 or above (if you have attended ICC).
• GPA of 2.0 or above at the last college attended (other than ICC) OR 9 hours of required courses from program sequence with a “C” or higher.
• Completion of SURTK 100.

Requirements upon Program Acceptance:

• Drug screen, fingerprint criminal background check, physical exam, and immunizations.
• Documentation of current CPR certification from the American Heart Association (AHA) BLS (Basic Life Support) Provider or American Red Cross (ARC) Professional Rescuer and BLS Provider, or ICC course HLTH 041 or equivalent, is required.  This CPR certification must remain current throughout student enrollment within the health career program.

Accreditation

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs (CAAHEP)

in cooperation with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA).

Degree

Associate in Applied Science (Career Program)
Total Credit Hours: 61

Program Requirements

Select a course number below to see a course description.

Required General Education Courses

Course	Name	Credit Hours
ENGL 110	COMPOSITION I **	3
COMM 110	INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION: PRESENTATION AND THEORY **	3
PSY 110	INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY **	3
BIOL 140 or	HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY ** or	4
BIOL 205 and	PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I ** and	4
BIOL 206	PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II **	4
BIOL 210	MICROBIOLOGY **	4
	HUMANITIES/FINE ARTS *	3

Required Program Courses

Course	Name	Credit Hours
HEOCC 200	DISEASE PROCESSES IN MAN **	3
HLTH 110	FUNDAMENTALS OF STERILE PROCESSING **	2
HLTH 121	MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY **	2
SURTK 100	ORIENTATION TO SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY	0.5
SURTK 105	PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF SURGICAL SERVICES	3
SURTK 120	INTRODUCTION TO SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY	4
SURTK 121	FUNDAMENTALS OF SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY I	6
SURTK 122	FUNDAMENTALS OF SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY II	4
SURTK 130	PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIST	1
SURTK 141	SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY, CLINICAL PRACTICE I	3
SURTK 142	SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY, CLINICAL PRACTICE II	1
SURTK 210	FUNDAMENTALS OF SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY III	7
SURTK 240	SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY, CLINICAL PRACTICE III	3
SURTK 250	SYNTHESIS OF SURGICAL TECHNOLOGY	1.5

* See specific requirements for Associate in Applied Science Degree.
** Underlined courses may be taken prior to admission into the program.

Recommended Course Sequence

Semester	Courses
Summer Semester	SURTK 100, SURTK 105, HLTH 110
Fall Semester 1	BIOL 140 or BIOL 205; ENGL 110; HLTH 121; SURTK 120; SURTK 130
Spring Semester 1	BIOL 206 (if 205 is taken); BIOL 210; HEOCC 200; SURTK 121; SURTK 141;
Summer Semester	SURTK 122; COMM 110; SURTK 142
Fall Semester 2	SURTK 210; SURTK 240; SURTK 250; Humanities/Fine Arts; PSY 110

Program Contact Information

Health Careers Department
Peoria Campus, Cedar 105
(309) 690-7530

Illinois Career Cluster

Health Science

Career Pathway:
Therapeutic Services

Career Pathway

Pathway programs at ICC have a map that shows the courses/degree requirements that will lead students to their desired education and employment goals.

Certification Examination

ICC graduates are eligible to write the certification examination to become a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST). There are employment opportunities in surgical suites during the program. After graduation Surgical Techs can work full time, rotate shifts, take call with some opportunity for part time or reduced schedules.

Essential Skills and Abilities

1. Perform a full-range of body motion including handling and lifting patients, manual and finger dexterity, eye-hand coordination, and distinguish left from right
2. Bend, reach, pull, push, stand, stoop, walk during shift, and agility to handle body mass
3. Lift and carry up to sixty (60) pounds
4. Demonstrate visual acuity (with correction if needed) within normal range including peripheral vision and reading of fine print
5. Demonstrate auditory acuity (with correction if needed) that includes hearing muffled voices (through the mask) with extraneous background noise
6. Withstand unusual smells ─ cauterized tissue
7. Wear full surgical attire including personal protective equipment
8. Adapt effectively, displaying flexibility in environments with high tension to ensure patient safety
9. Concentrate and pay attention to detail. Ability to learn quickly without repetition of instructions
10. Perform fine motor skills with both right and left hands. [Dexterity and application in working with microscopic pieces of equipment and sutures (finer than a human hair), hold  retractors, etc.]
11. Adapt to irregular working hours as well as ability to stay over shift as necessary and stand unassisted for eight continuous hours maintaining alertness
12. Respond quickly and in an emotionally controlled manner in emergency situations
13. Communicate in a rational and coherent manner both orally and in writing with individuals of all professions and social levels
14. Recognize that work environment will include exposure to diseases and toxic substances (sterilants, x-ray, fumes, development of latex allergy, and so forth)
15. Show evidence of skin integrity, without open weeping lesions of the skin
16. Be able to problem solve using conceptual, integrative, and quantitative reasoning skills
17. The ability to develop and improve skills in organization of work and in learning to use economy of time and motion MS-Essential Skills & Abilities.doc/10
18. The ability to use English language to communicate with individuals of all professions and social levels
19. No latex allergies

If you have concerns that you don’t meet these skills, please make an appointment with the Program Supervisor or School Nurse

1. Under direct supervision of the surgeon, first scrubs or first assists with operative procedures.
2. Assists with circulating duties under the supervision of a registered nurse.
3. Accountable for items necessary to follow through with all assigned operative procedures.
4. Presents a professional physical appearance.

Courses include study of basic patient care practices, sterile technique, surgical anatomy, surgical procedures, working as a team, communication skills, ethical/legal aspects of safe patient care, and surgical supplies and instruments. Today’s Surgical Technologist also must know how to assemble and trouble shoot high tech equipment and instrumentation. ICC’s program is a fast paced demanding curriculum requiring higher order thinking processes. There is a requirement that all missed clinical and lab time is made-up. For the current 8 and 10 credit hour courses, students are scheduled in lab or class 22-24 hours per week. Students are advised to work less than 20 hours per week and to complete the anatomy and physiology and medical terminology requirement prior to beginning the SURTK sequence.

Surgical Technology Program Outcomes Assessment Exam (OAE) Pass Rate

Each year the eligible candidates enrolled in the Surgical Technology Program sit for their National Certification Exam administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). Those candidates who pass their exam become Certified Surgical Technologists (CST). In accordance with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), these results are to be published for public knowledge.

National Surgical Technologists Certifying Examination Pass Rate

Employment Rate as Certified Surgical Technologists