What is operation theatre technician course?
Operation theatre assistant course offers training to the student about all the procedures of pre-surgery and post-surgery. Moreover, an operation theatre assistant also enables the students to learn how to assist the doctors in an operation theatre. Furthermore, they are also trained in setting up trollies for a specific surgery and also given an adequate knowledge in autoclaving and preparing sterile supplies required at the time of surgery.
For whom operation theatre assistant course is meant for?
Operation theatre technician course is ideal for those who have completed their 12th in science or done graduation. Those who wish to serve as a technician in operation theatre at top hospitals can also make their career as an operation assistant.
Requirements to become an operation theatre technician
An operation theatre assistant should fulfill the following requirements:
- Attention towards every detail
- Good communication skills
- Ability to take work pressure
- Ability to handle difficult situations
- Organized
- Ability to work as a teammate
- Ability to work no supervision
Operation theatre assistant course
An assistant course can be done in three formats:
- Bachelor of Science degree
This is an undergraduate degree course. Among the rest of the courses, this is the most privileged course. It can be completed in three-four years. One can attain this degree in the following areas:
- Theatre technology
- Theatre management
- Theatre techniques
- Surgical technology
- Operation theatre and anesthesia management
Minimum educational qualifications required is 10+2 with 45% minimum marks in chemistry, physics, and biology.
- Diploma course
However, this is not as prestigious as B.sc but this degree is for career-oriented people. It is also known by the name of D.OTT. It consists of practical lessons and classroom lectures.
However, a student must be 10+2 passed from any course to take admission into this degree.
The shorter duration of this degree is one year and can even extend up to 2 years.
- Certificate course
A certificate course in operation theatre assistant is not detailed as bachelor studies in science or diploma degree still it helps the students to acquire key skills and thus, gives entry to basic level jobs in professional healthcare institutions.
This degree takes 6 months to one year to complete. However, in most cases, it can be done in 6 months only.
In most of the institutes, students who are 12th passed can take admission to complete this degree
By following these five easy steps, one can become a great operation theatre technician
- High school degree
A high school degree in operation theatre assistant is a prerequisite to a diploma or a certificate degree program. To a limited extent science subjects like chemistry, biology, and physics help them a student to prepare for their career
- Certificate or diploma in surgical technology
Colleges, vocational institutes, and universities offer various programs, which trains a student completely to become a supporting member of a surgical team. A student’s curriculum consists of an academic course, labs and an internship. Course may cover anatomy and physiology, pharma, medical terminology, and surgical procedures.
- Obtain a certificate
One can obtain a certificate of Surgical Technologist designated from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.
- Get a job
After completing the course and obtaining a degree one can get a job at various places like a surgical clinic, hospitals and a physician office.
- Advance your career
One can advance their career by obtaining advanced degrees in Surgical Technology. They can become a hospital supply manager or first assistant.
Other alternative career options
There are some other courses related to an operating technician, such as a dental assistant or medical assistant. The job of a medical assistant is to take notes about a patient’s history, help with examinations, update the records and do the administrative work.
Whereas the work of a dental assistant is to help in preparing the patient for procedures and assist the dentist with tools, records, and appointments.
Contents of operation technician assistant course
The curriculum of operation technician assistant is quite comprehensive and includes several aspects of learning:
- Aspects of physiology
- Non-natal care
- Medical ethics
- Elementary nursing skills
- General pharmacology
- Operation procedure care
- Surgical knowledge
- Operation theatre hygiene
- Critical care procedure
- Setup of operation theatre
- Basics of human anatomy
Types of jobs roles for an operation theatre assistant
- Dental assistant
An operation theatre assistant can even work as a dentist assistant. The only difference would be that they would work in a dentist clinic rather than a surgical clinic. Their work would be taking appointments, take X-rays and maintain records.
- Medical assistant
They are involved in taking medical histories, recording vital signs and monitoring the patients. Their job is to complete the administrative work for physicians in clinics or hospitals
- Clinical laboratory technologist
Their job is to run clinical tests to update the records of laboratory equipment. They have to work with microscopes and computer to analyze samples to identify any abnormalities and reach a diagnosis.
Benefits of becoming an operation theatre assistant
After completing the course of operation theatre assistant, they acquire enough skills to perform pre-surgery and post-surgery tasks and can also help their doctors during and after an operation. However, some benefits are:
- Enhancing job skills as an operation theatre assistant
- Gaining knowledge about operation theatre equipment
- Handling of bio-waste material
- Skills to work in several healthcare institutions
Payment prospects
The average salary for an operating theatre assistant is estimated to be INR 5, 00,000. This number can increase as the experience increases.
