Harper College
Surgical Technology

Surgical Case Requirements

Surgical Specialty Total # of Cases Required Minimum # of First Scrubbed Cases Required Maximum # of Second Scrubbed Cases that can be Applied Towards 120 Case Total
General Surgery 30 20 10
Surgical Specialties:
  • Cardiothoracic
  • ENT
  • GU
  • Neuro
  • OB-GYN
  • Ophthalmic
  • Oral-Maxillofacial
  • Orthopedic
  • Peripheral vascular
  • Procurement/Transplant
 90 60 30
Diagnostic Endoscopy:
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Colonoscopy
  • Cystoscopy
  • EGO
  • ERCP
  • Esophagoscopy
  • Laryngoscopy
  • Panendoscopy
  • Sinoscopy
  • Ureteroscopy

 

 

 10 Diagnostic Endoscopy Cases May be Applied toward the Second Scrub category
Labor and Delivery     5 Vaginal Deliveries May be Applied to the Second Scrub Category
TOTALS 120 80 40

Surgical Case Requirements

  1. The total number of cases the student must complete is 120.
  2. Students must complete a minimum of 30 cases in General Surgery; 20 which must be performed in the First Scrub Role. The remaining 10 cases may be performed in either the First or Second Scrub Role.
  3. Students must complete a minimum of 90 cases in various surgical specialties, excluding General Surgery; 60 which must be performed in the First Scrub Role. The additional 30 cases may be performed in either the First or Second Scrub Role.
    1. A minimum of 60 surgical specialty cases must be performed in the First Scrub Role and distributed amongst a minimum of four surgical specialties.
    2. A minimum of 10 cases in the First Scrub Role must be completed in each of the required minimum of four surgical specialties (40 cases total required).
    3. The additional 20 cases in the First Scrub Role may be distributed amongst any one surgical specialty or multiple surgical specialties.
    4. The remaining 30 surgical specialty cases may be performed in any surgical specialty either in the First or Second Scrub Role. The surgical technology program is required to verify through the surgical rotation
  4. Diagnostic endoscopy cases and vaginal delivery cases are not mandatory. However, up to 10 diagnostic endoscopic cases and 5 vaginal delivery cases can be counted toward the maximum number of Second Scrub Role cases.
    1. Diagnostic endoscopy cases must be documented in the category of “Diagnostic Endoscopy", rather than by specialty.
    2. Vaginal delivery cases must be documented in the category of "Labor & Delivery'' rather than in the OB/GYN specialty.
    3. Case experience in the Second Scrub Role is not mandatory.
  5. Observation cases must be documented, but do not count towards the 120 required cases.

Counting Cases

The surgical technology program is required to verify through the surgical rotation documentation the students’ progression in First and Second Scrubbing surgical procedures of increased complexity as he/she moves towards entry- level graduate abilities. Cases will be counted according to surgical specialty. In the case of multi procedure surgeries, if the procedures fall under different specialties each specific specialty can be counted.

Examples:

  • Trauma patient requires a splenectomy and repair of a Lefort I fracture. Two cases can be counted and documented since the splenectomy is general surgery specialty and repair of LeFort I is oral-maxillofacial surgical specialty.
  • Patient requires a breast biopsy followed by mastectomy. It is one pathology; breast cancer, and the specialty is general surgery; Therefore, it is counted and documented as one procedure one case.

First Scrub, Second Scrub and Observation Role

First Scrub Role

The student surgical technologist shall perform the following duties during any given surgical procedure with proficiency. The following list is provided to identify the items that must be completed in order to document a case in the first scrub role. A student not Meeting the five criteria below cannot count the case in the first scrub role and the case must be documented in the second scrub role or observation role.

  • Verify the supplies and equipment needed for the procedure
  • Set up the sterile field with instruments, supplies and medications and solutions.
  • Perform surgical counts with the circulator prior to the procedure and before the incision is closed. * Every facility will have their own “Surgical Counts” policy and procedure
  • Pass instruments and supplies to the sterile surgical team members during the procedure
  • Maintain sterile technique as measured by recognized breaks in technique and demonstrate knowledge of how to correct with appropriate technique.

Second Scrub Role

The second scrub role is defined as the student who is at the sterile field who has not met all criteria for the first scrub role, but actively participates in the surgical procedure in its entirety by completing any of the following:

  • Sponging
  • Suctioning
  • Cutting Suture
  • Holding Retractors
  • Manipulating Endoscopic Camera

Observation Role

The observation role is defined as the student who is in the operating room performing roles that do not meet the criteria for the first or second scrub role. These observation cases are not to be included in the required case count, but must be documented by the program.

Last Updated: 11/20/24