Functional Abilities: Surgical Technology
Gross Motor Skills
- Move within confined spaces.
- Maintain balance in multiple positions.
- Reach above shoulders (adjust overhead lights)
- Reach below waist (plug electrical appliance into wall outlet)
- Reach out front.
Fine Motor Skills
- Perform fine motor skills with both right and left hands.
- Pick up small objects with your hands.
- Write with pen or pencil.
- Key/type (use a computer)
- Pinch/pick/squeeze/ turn with fingers (manipulate an instrument or syringe)
- Simultaneous use of hands, wrists, fingers
- Coordinate eye-hand and eye-hand foot.
Physical Strength and Endurance
- Push and pull 50 pounds (position patient)
- Support and lift 50 pounds of weight (carry instrument trays, hold arm or leg)
- Carry equipment/ supplies (lift instrument pans)
- Use upper body strength (retraction, physically restrain a patient)
- Stand for long periods of time from 2-6 hours.
- Maintain the same position for long periods of time.
- Wear full surgical attire including personal protective equipment for long periods
of time.
- Sustained repetitive movements.
- Function in a fast-paced work environment for hours
Hearing
- Ability to hear normal speaking level sounds.
- Hear faint voices and body sounds (heartbeat)
- Ability to discriminate speech in the presence of background noises.
- Hear in situations when not able to see lips.
- Ability to hear and discriminate various equipment sounds and alarms.
Visual
- Demonstrate visual acuity (with correction if needed) within normal range.
- See objects up to 20 inches away.
- Use depth perception.
- Use peripheral vision.
- Distinguish color and color intensity (color codes on supplies)
- See in darkened room (during endoscope procedures, eye surgery)
- Ability to read fine print.
Tactile
- Feel vibrations (palpate pulses)
- Detect temperature (solutions)
- Feel differences in sizes, shapes.
- Detect the environmental temperature.
Communication Skills
- Speak and write in English.
- Listen/comprehend spoken/written word.
- Collaborate with others (health care workers, peers)
- Comprehend and exhibit non-verbal communication.
- Respond quickly and in an emotionally controlled manner in emergency situations.
Problem Solving Ability
- Adapt effectively, displaying flexibility in environments with high tension to ensure
patient safety.
- Concentrate and pay attention to detail. Ability to learn quickly without repetition
of instructions.
- Demonstrate the ability to read and write at the college level.
- The ability to develop and improve skills in organization of work and in learning
to use economy of time and motion.
- Students may be required to be flexible and capable of working in stressful situations
while maintaining composure to aid in patient care and to safeguard the life of a
patient.
Miscellaneous
- Withstand unusual sights and smells.
- Recognize that the clinical environment will include exposure to diseases and toxic
substances (blood borne pathogens, sterilants, ionizing radiation, surgical plume,
fumes, development of latex allergy, and so forth).
- Students must be 18 years of age or older to attend a clinical rotation.
