West Kentucky Community & Technical College

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Demand for Surgical Technologist On the Rise

Pre-Admission Conference Scheduled for WKCTC's Surgical Technology Program

Paducah, KY (04/12/2019) — West Kentucky Community and Technical College is offering a pre-admission conference for Fall 2019 admission into the surgical technology program. The meeting will be at Tuesday, April 30 at 3 p.m. in the Allied Health Building, Room E108.

Fall classes begin August 19. In order to be considered for selection into the surgical technology program, applicants must have attended a surgical technology pre-admission conference and must complete the admissions process. Once accepted, WKCTC's surgical technology program can be completed in two semesters with an additional intersession.

Surgical technologists are members of operating room teams who, under the supervision of a surgeon or other surgical personnel, ensure that the operating room is safe and that equipment functions properly. Their duties include setting up surgical instruments and equipment, ensuring the equipment works properly, preparing sterile drapes, and sterile solutions. During surgery, surgical techs pass instruments and other sterile supplies to surgeons and surgeon assistants, but they also may hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments. Surgical technologists may also help prepare, care for, and dispose of specimens taken for laboratory analysis, help apply dressings and help transport the patient to the recovery room.

The demand for surgical technologists is on the rise in western Kentucky as well as throughout the country, with some hospitals even offering large monetary incentives to surgical techs they hire.

A WKCTC 1982 surgical technology graduate, Debbie Swain has worked as a surgical technologist for more than 30 years and has taught at WKCTC for more than 20 years. She said she tells her students every year that there is never a boring day in the operating room (OR). When she chose surgical technology as her career, Swain said she wanted to play an active role in health care.

"Being in the OR and having the opportunity to be actively involved in a patient's health care, I saw as a true honor and privilege when I started," she said, "and I still feel that way today."

For more information about the program contact Debbie Swain at debbie.swain@kctcs.ed or call 270-534-3482.

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Debbie Swain (right), surgical technology program coordinator at West Kentucky Community & Technical College, prepares to demonstrate a health care procedure with one of her students.

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