From the team at CareerStaff Unlimited, here’s wishing everyone a Happy National Surgical Technologists Week! Celebrated from September 18th through the 24th, this year’s Surgical Technologists Week is a chance to thank all of the hard-working surgical techs, and honor their important contributions to patient care.
Surgical techs are indeed essential to the care continuum. The services they provide are critical for proper patient diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Yet as they work mostly behind the scenes, those services are sometimes not clearly understood by patients — and sometimes neglected by doctors and other clinical professionals, too.
So please join us in celebrating these important healthcare professionals! We’ve got a few good suggestions for bringing the spirit of National Surgical Technologists Week to the people you work with.
3 Ways to Celebrate National Surgical Technologists Week
According to the Association of Surgical Technologies (AST), the theme of this week’s National Surgical Technologists Week is “Behind the Mayo.” The main promoter of the week’s events, the AST offers a great message of affirmation for the nation’s surgical techs.
“You are a PPE perfectionist,” the AST states in its Surgical Technologists Week message. “A sterile expert. A safety advocate. You work tirelessly on behalf of the patient to ensure they receive the highest quality of surgical care. It’s time that everyone knows just how important a surgical technologist is to patient safety.” Click here for more from the AST.
If you’re not a surgical tech, though, we have a few other ways for you to get into the spirit of the week and join in the fun!
#1: Share a small gift
A small but thoughtful gift can really make someone’s day. Whether it’s a cup of their favorite coffee or a gift card to a local bakery — or any number of other gifts — this token of appreciation is a thoughtful way to say thank you to someone you may not know every well. And if you’re looking for ideas, check out our recent guide to gifts for clinical workers.
#2: Add some flair to the breakroom or waiting room
Since they work largely in and around the operating room setting, there aren’t many appropriate places to decorate for your surgical tech co-workers. But you can consider putting up some modest decorations in your breakroom or other public space to let everyone know it’s National Surgical Technologists Week.
And you can take this spirit of Surgical Technologists Week to the next level by adding flair to the patient waiting room. Patients rarely understand the important role of surgical and OR techs in the care continuum. And, while many techs may prefer to work behind the scenes, some appreciation from grateful patients may also be a nice change of pace from a stressful, detail-oriented workday.
If you’re looking for some promotional materials, the AST has some great posters and images you can print and post.
#3: Let them know they’re appreciated!
Last but definitely not least, simply tell the OR techs you work with that you appreciate them. That could mean a simple thank you. But even better, take a few minutes to tell them you truly appreciate the quality of their work. Let them know you understand the detailed work they do —, and how important it is for everyone in the department — and you just might make someone’s day.
Celebrate National Surgical Technologists Week with a New Job!
If you’re a surgical technologist, what better time than National Surgical Technologists Week to find a great new career opportunity? At CareerStaff Unlimited, we’ve got assignments for surgical techs across the United States. You can search all available surg tech jobs here, or fill out a quick application to get connected with a CareerStaff recruitment specialist.
And, once again, Happy National Surgical Technologists Week from everyone at CareerStaff Unlimited!