AHL 160 - Introduction to Surgical Technology

6.5 Continuing Education Units (CEU). This course is not for Credit(s).

This course is designed to enable the student to learn about the profession of surgical technology. The student will learn the basic science of surgical technology, the care of the surgical patient, medications administered before, during, and after surgery, and technological sciences relevant to the surgical technologist. Topics to be covered include identification of the surgical team members, the surgical technologist’s environment, surgical patient emergencies, principles of asepsis & sterilization, drugs used for pain and as anesthetic agents for the surgical patient, mathematical concepts related to dosage & drug calculations, anesthesia complications & interventions, safe handling of medications, electricity, information technology, and robotics.

Course Objectives:

1. identify the responsibilities of the surgical technologist as a health care professional;

2. define the legal, ethical, and moral responsibilities of the surgical team,

3. identify health care facilities and their organization and management;

4. explain the principles of asepsis and the related practices of sterile technique;

5. discuss methods of hand-washing, disinfection, decontamination, and sterilization;

6. describe methods of hemostasis and blood replacement;

7. discuss emergency patient situations in the operating room;

8. discuss preparation and response to all hazards events;

9. identify and state the function of supplies and equipment;

10. describe the pre-operative preparation of the surgical patient;

11. perform the open glove technique and state when the technique is used;

12. demonstrate urinary catheterization;

13. describe robotic terms & surgical applications of robotics;

14. identify the basic components of equipment used in robotic surgery & describe movements of the robotic system;

15. analyze the principles of anesthesia administration

16. calculate medication conversions and dosages;

17. prepare and manage medications & solutions on and off the surgical field.