Surgical Technology

Program Description

The Surgical Technology program is designed to train practitioners at the Associate of Applied Science degree level to meet the needs of local healthcare partners. Students will acquire the skills needed to enter the workforce as entry-level Surgical Technologist serving as a member of the surgical team.

Students should note that some courses have prerequisites, which must be successfully completed before enrolling into upper level courses. All course work must be completed with at least 70% "C" or higher for program progression and completion. If the student is unsuccessful, any co-requisite courses must be repeated concurrently even if a passing grade was awarded during the first attempt. Students who are unsuccessful in a course will have to reapply for the program, will not be given preference above new applicants, and may be responsible for the costs incurred to repeat certain aspects of the required documentation.

Application Information

Admission into the College must be completed prior to submission of the Surgical Technology Application.

The Surgical Technology Program Applications are available now and are due April 28, 2023 by 12:00 PM. The application and health forms packet must be completed and submitted by the deadline with all supporting documentation in order to be considered for acceptance into the Surgical Technology program.

No late submissions, applications received in the mail, or incomplete applications will be considered. No documents will be returned after the selection process and students are encouraged to make copies for their records. Attendance for the Surgical Technology Program orientation is mandatory to finalize acceptance into the program.

Applications and Health Form packets will be available at the Jennings Morgan Smith Site and in the School of Nursing & Allied Health office on the 2nd floor of the H C Drew Building. Applicants may also request a copy from the Jennings Enrollment Specialist, Kim Stanton, at Kimberly.stanton@sowela.edu or Support Coordinator, Kim Mitchell, at kimberly.mitchell@sowela.edu.

Complete your SOWELA College application online. If you have questions about the program or the application, email onestop@sowela.edu or call (337) 421-6550 to speak with an Enrollment Specialist.

Students must complete the first semester of prerequisite courses in the curriculum prior to applying to any Surgical Technology clinical program courses.

Once you receive an official notification of acceptance into the program, you will be granted access to schedule any STEC courses.

Classes begin each Summer Semester at the Morgan Smith Site in Jennings.

Mission

The mission of SOWELA School of Nursing and Allied Health (SoNAH) is to serve and improve the health of individuals entrusted in our care by providing excellence in education and to prepare graduates to pursue higher education to become globally competitive citizens.

The mission of the Surgical Technology program is to provide a learning environment and experiences in both didactic and clinical training that reflects occupational trends and meets the needs of the region. The profession of surgical technology is service oriented and requires trained, disciplined personnel. The high quality, selective admission, affordable training is designed to allow students to acquire competent knowledge of the skills to render them competitive in the area healthcare job market. The curriculum encourages the student to be self-directed in learning both during training and after completion.

Goal Statement

The faculty of SOWELA Technical Community College, Surgical Technology Program, believes that a Surgical Technologist works efficiently in the role of an allied health professional in the operating room and other related areas. The surgical technologist works closely with multi-disciplinary team members delivering patient care in all phases of the peri-operative experience. Clinical activities in accredited hospitals are part of this competency- based program.

It is also our belief that the synergistic approach to surgical patient care is vital to the patient's safety, human dignity, individual uniqueness, physical, emotional, and spiritual well- being. The surgical technologist's commitment to excellence, as well as expertise, knowledge, and clinical judgment must be of the utmost consideration in the performance of related duties. The surgical technologist must be flexible, alert, and prepared to meet the needs of the profession. Personal continuing education will keep the surgical technologist abreast of the changes and technological advancements of their profession as well as to develop new skills.

Surgical Technologists have an obligation to practice their profession safely and to protect their patients from harm. We will assist surgical technology students to acquire a solid foundation of basic information on which further depth and breadth of knowledge can be added. Our goal is to prepare competent, entry level surgical technologist in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains.

We believe, as with all areas of health care, that the surgical environment is very dynamic with ever emerging trends, and the surgical technologist must be willing to make a lifelong commitment to the learning process. Changes will be made in the program/ curriculum to reflect these advancements and will be consistent with the core values and objectives of SOWELA Technical Community College and the School of Nursing and Allied Health.

Students who successfully complete the Surgical Technology Program will be able to:

• Assist in surgical procedures safely by utilizing appropriate knowledge of anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, and the application of surgical aseptic technique (cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains).
• Practice within the legal, ethical, and professional scope of the Surgical Technologist by performing all preoperative skills and duties safely (cognitive and affective domains).
• Meet the educational requirements necessary for the national certifying exam administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) (cognitive and psychomotor domains).
• Develop the entry level employment skills for the various roles of the Surgical Technologist in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavioral) learning domains.

Program Completion Requirements

Students will be evaluated throughout the program by the Surgical Technology faculty, preceptors, clinical affiliation management, and peers. Students are encouraged to perform self-evaluations as well, based on criteria indicated in course syllabi and on clinical evaluations. For a student to be recommended to be eligible for graduation with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Surgical Technology and be eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam administered by NBSTSA, the student must have:

• Have met all college and programmatic entrance requirements.
• Completed the pre-requisite courses required in the curriculum.
• Have completed all courses with a grade of 70% (C) or greater.
• Satisfactorily complete all clinical and didactic make up work.
• Have a total of a minimum of 60 credit hours (more is possible).
• Have earned at least 25% of the required hours in the program at SOWELA and at least 2/3 of the Core courses (STEC) earned at SOWELA.
• Have participated in and properly logged the program's required number of case (120 total) in the proper delineated classifications as well as the required correct role classification as described in the Core Curriculum for Surgical Technology, 6th Edition by AST. Details concerning the clinical case requirements can be found in the Appendix of this handbook.
• Have the correct major (AAS-Surgical Technology) declared on file with the Office of the Registrar. If you need to change your major, use the Change of Major Request Form (opens new window).
• Have no outstanding financial responsibilities or debts to the college.
• Have completed an application for graduation and paid the associated fees prior to the deadline to participate in the May ceremony.
• Has sat for the National Certification Exam administered by the NBSTSA.

It is essential for student to perform these activities in the clinical portion of the program with or without reasonable accommodations. Students who have chronic illness or conditions must be managed and maintained on a current treatment plan and be able to function during a clinical day without impairment. Students are not required to disclose any chronic or recurrent illness and/or disability. Students who identify potential difficulties or may not have the ability to meet these standards or perform these skills, should contact the Surgical Technology program director and communicate their concerns.

Degree Options

Associate of Applied Science

Program Effectiveness Information

Student Achievement Data

Contact Information