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Who is a Operation Theatre Technician?
An operation theatre isn’t complete without an operation theatre technician ~ Anonymous
Do you want to make a career in the field of medicine and healthcare but do not wish to go through the lengthy process of becoming a doctor? Well, in that case, you can assist specialized doctors such as Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, Neurosurgeons, Cardiothoracic surgeons, and several other healthcare professionals who operate in an operation theatre. Becoming an Operation Room Technician is one of the possible choices.
Individuals who opt for a career as Operation Theatre Technician is always in high demand as he or she is required in every hospital which has an operation theatre. The role of Operation Theatre Technician is to prepare and maintain operating theatres and equipment, assist surgical and anesthetic teams during operations, and provide support to patients in recovery. Read the complete article to know about how to become an Operation Theatre Technician in India and how long does it take to become an Operation Theatre Technician.
Operation Theatre Technician in a Nutshell
An OT Technician or Operation Theatre Technician is a healthcare professional who provides support to prepare and maintain Operating Theatres and Equipment. It is a supportive role that involves providing assistance to surgical and anaesthetic teams during operations. An OTT transports patients, prepares the operation theatre for surgery, and ensures all the surgical equipment is available. The operation Room Technician cleans and restocks the operating room.
Quick Facts for Operation Theatre Technician
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Industry
Healthcare
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Suitable for
Male, Female, Others
A career as Operation Theatre Technician (OT Technician) is not gender-specific. Whether one is male, female, or belongs to any other gender can choose to opt for a career as Operation Theatre Technician. Being an Operation Theatre Technician is one of the important professions in the medical and surgical field but it is not given enough credit.
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Any special needs
No
People with physical disabilities are not suitable for a career as Operation Theatre Technicians. A career as Operation Theatre Technician (OT) demands an eye for detail and physical fitness to perform tasks. In this career, the patient’s life is at stake and therefore there is no room for the slightest mistake. An Operation Theatre Technician’s job also involves lifting objects in excess of 100 lbs. with frequent lifting and or carrying of objects weighing 50 lbs or more.
Table of Contents for Operation Theatre Technician
What is the role of Operation Theatre Technician?
Individuals who opt for a career as OT technicians are responsible for ensuring that the lighting, sound, and other technical aspects of theatre performances run safely, smoothly, and on time. The role of the theatre assistant in the operating room is to make sure that theatre equipment is kept in good working order and that all those using or exposed to it are safe. An Operation Theatre Technician plays a significant role in supporting healthcare professionals while dealing with patient care.
An Operation Theatre Assistant possesses thorough knowledge regarding the various aspects of working in an operation theatre such as biomedical waste management and infection control. He or she is required to prepare the operation theatre, maintain equipment, sterilization, and personal hygiene, and assist the nurses and surgeons in various procedures during and after the surgery such as filling in the forms.
An Operation Theatre Technician needs to be courteous and empathetic with patients and relatives who may be mentally, physically, and emotionally distressed from time to time. In most cases, Operation Theatre Technicians assist surgeons, dentists, and optometrists during surgical procedures.
Assistance
Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technician is required to assist in the central sterile between scrub assignments. The role of the OT Technician in the operation theatre is to keep the operating room clean and tidy. An OT Technician work is to assist in the circulation of nurses in taking care of the patients and is also responsible for providing nursing care to all patients. He or she is responsible for the maintenance of department stock levels.
Prepare reports
Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technician is required to report on and off duty at the control desk. He or she needs to report on and off at the control desk for lunch. The operation theatre technician work is not only responsible for informing the control desk but is also reporting where they are at all times while on duty.
Cleaning
Cleaning should be done in the morning whether the operation theatre will be used or not and also before going off duty. A career as an operation theatre technician is required to clean, straighten, and stock the rooms as necessary. The surgeon should not enter in operation theatre before it’s completely cleaned.
Inventory management
Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technician is responsible for providing help in rooms by opening cases or by assisting with the available inventory. He or she also helps in managing inventory management which is a tough task as one has to make sure about the products which are understocked and those that are overstocked.
Monitoring
Operation Theatre Technician is required to use proper time cards. He or she is also responsible for checking bulletin boards on a daily basis for notices and schedule changes. Individuals who opt for a career as an operation theatre technician check daily to keep abreast of new changes occurring in the operating room.
Ensuring safety
Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technicians keep himself or herself abreast with the new techniques and procedures. He or she needs an understanding of the standardization of setups and needs to perform accordingly. An OT Technician must have knowledge of cardiac arrest procedures as well as the knowledge of fire and disaster procedures. He or she must be aware of the location of fire alarms and fire extinguishers and fire hoses.
Types of a Operation Theatre Technician
There are numerous Operation Theatre Technician career options that are relevant to it. We have provided below a list of types of a Operation Theatre Technicians.
Audiometrist: Audiometric Officer, is a healthcare professional technician who has received special training in the use of pure-tone audiometry equipment.
Biomedical Engineer: Biomedical Engineer is responsible for designing biomedical equipment and devices, such as artificial internal organs, replacements for body parts, and machines for diagnosing medical problems. These types of operation theatre technician jobs are to install, adjust, maintain, repair, or provide technical support for biomedical equipment.
Health Technician Manager: A healthcare technology manager is a position that combines science, business, and technology. In general, a healthcare technology manager is responsible for managing various healthcare technology management personnel by directing and overseeing daily activities.
Laboratory Manager: The lab manager brings together his or her managerial skills and knowledge of safety and lab procedures to ensure that laboratories operate smoothly. Managerial duties generally include scheduling staff, reordering supplies, and maintaining security standards.
Medical Imaging Technologist: A radiographer (or medical imaging technologist) is a university-trained health professional who works with cutting-edge technology to produce X-rays, CT (computed tomography) scans, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans, and other medical images to assist clinical radiologists and other doctors diagnose or monitor.
Medical Scientist: Medical scientists are basically professionals who study disease processes. These types of operation theatre technician's jobs are to conduct research about human diseases, with an aim to improve human health. Apart from laboratory research, medical scientists can also be engaged in clinical investigations, technical writing, and drug application reviews.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist: The nuclear medicine technologist is a highly specialized healthcare professional who works closely with the nuclear medicine physician. Some of the technologist's primary responsibilities are to Prepare and administer radioactive chemical compounds, known as radiopharmaceuticals.
Radiation Therapist: Radiation therapists operate machines, such as linear accelerators, to deliver concentrated radiation therapy to the region of a patient's tumour. Radiation treatment can shrink or remove cancers and tumours. Radiation therapists are part of the oncology teams that treat patients with cancer.
Medical Lab Technician: The job description of a medical laboratory technician can include working under technologists or supervisors and manually conducting routine laboratory research. Medical lab technicians inspect specimens and run devices that process samples automatically. They often prepare standard solutions that require the correct amount of different chemicals for use in the laboratory to be weighed and combined.
Laboratory Technician: Individuals who opt for a career as laboratory technicians deal with complex systems or conduct highly advanced mechanical or diagnostic experiments in medical or science laboratories. Technicians can work independently or under the leadership of a specialist, depending on the sector. Laboratory technicians are the backbone of a laboratory for scientific study.
Also read: Veterinary Technologist
What is the workplace/work environment of Operation Theatre Technician like?
The work environment for an operating room technician (or ORT) is naturally the operating room or 'rooms', to be more accurate. Since hospitals and surgical centres commonly have several of them. Ideally, there is one operation theatre technician per operating room. Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technicians typically participate in a few surgical procedures each day, a schedule that keeps them mostly on their feet. An Operation Theatre Technician has to coordinate with doctors and nurses in the operation theatre and work accordingly.
Does Operation Theatre Technician require travelling?
Not Likely
Individuals who opt for a career as Operation Theatre Technicians do not require travelling since surgery takes place in an operation theatre itself.
Employment Shifts
Full Time
The employment shift of an Operating Room Assistant or ORT is full-time in nature. Most Operation Theatre Technicians work full-time, though their shifts may extend past the usual eight hours. Individuals who opt for a career as Operation Theatre Technicians may also have to be on call at night and during weekends and holidays.
Employment Nature
Permanent
The nature of employment of an Operation Theatre Technician is permanent. Individuals who opt for a career as OTT work with hospitals or they may work with a surgeon with a private set-up.
Work Place
Laboratory
Individuals who opt for a career as Operation Theatre Technician works for a minimum of eight hours every day. The work hours depend on which shift his or her duty falls in. The working hours may be extended depending on the requirement and the length or duration of the surgery. He or she is part of Operation Theatre Technician and work on holidays or a weekend also if the need arises.
Presence in Geographical Area
Rural, Semi-urban, Urban
Operation Theatre Technicians work in all kinds of geographical locations including urban, semi-urban as well as rural areas. People who are involved in the medical field are required in all kinds of geographical locations. The same goes for the Operation Theatre Technician. OT assistant jobs require to be present in all types of locations be it a metropolitan city, a town, or a village.
Time Pressure
Likely
Time pressure is immensely high in OT assistant jobs. Typically, Operation Theatre Technicians are required to work a regular 40-hour per week, but they also might be required to be present on call on some nights, weekends, and holidays. Depending on the operation, call responsibilities can get rigorous. In certain facilities that perform a large number of surgeries, individuals who opt for a career as Operation Theatre Assistant may require to work in rotational shifts to ensure that a trained operation theatre technician is available 24 hours a day.
Overtime Details
In a career as Operation Theatre Technician, it is quite common to work overtime. The working hours for Operation Theatre Technicians vary greatly as they must answer the call of surgical and medical emergencies when needed. Many operation theatre technicians are also required to assist in surgery missions. Individuals who opt for a career as Operation Room Technicians may often be required to overtime if the surgery stretches to be too long.
Also Read: A Career as Nurse
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 40 Hours
A career as Operation Theatre Technician needs to work hours generally ranging from 8 to 9 or sometimes more. He or she works a minimum of 8 hours every day.
How to become a Operation Theatre Technician?
Steps to become a Operation Theatre Technician
If you are someone interested to work under surgeons and anesthesiologists and in the operation theatres helping patients to get cured by surgeries, preparing and maintaining operating theatres and equipment, then a career as an Operation Theatre Technician is one of the best career choices for you. We have mentioned below some of the steps for you to know how to become an Operation Theatre Technician in India.
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Operation Theatre Technician?
When it comes to how to become an operation theatre technician, the first thing that students should know about the skills required to become an operation theatre technician. Some of the essential skills we have mentioned are below.
Craft Knowledge: Craft skill is fundamentally the cumulative knowledge resulting from the comprehension of reasons for so many issues and problems involved in workplaces. An operation is a regularly scheduled activity, it should not be negligible. The standard for performance is set high, and there is quite understandably little to no tolerance in the operation room for careless mistakes or inattentiveness. A patient’s life is in the hands of the surgical team.
Mental Strength: The secret to maintaining success at the best is improved mental power. Mental strength enables you to control your emotions, maintain your thoughts, and function productively. This ensures you would be focused the time and attention on the things that are really important. Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technicians along with all other operating room personnel, learn to manage stress, have level-headedness, and thrive within these expectations.
Attention to Detail: Attention to detail is important because it helps to avoid mistakes and to make workplace success easier. The challenge is that it could be often difficult to be incredibly responsive while workers are at work and the manager and coworkers continue disturbing them. While many of these are acquired from experience strong organizational skills are needed from the very beginning. Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technicians in the operating theatre have always been centred and responsive to information.
Learning: Learning at work could even boost the effectiveness of employees by providing individuals with the method to develop effectively and also contribute to a culture built around productivity. So if the opportunity to choose is provided, the employees are most likely to succeed. Inquisitiveness and a love for learning further encourage the employee to engage in its abundant opportunities for professional development.
Popular Online Medicine Courses and Certifications
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Operation Theatre Technician?
We have mentioned below certifications that individuals may opt for who want to establish a career as an Operation Theatre technician.
Drug and Medical Device Development: A Strategic Approach - Online Program | |
Nanotechnology for Health: Innovative Designs for Medical Diagnosis | |
Also Read: Career as Surgical Technologist
Internship Availability
Doing an internship before joining a field professionally helps in several ways. First of all, it gives practical knowledge of the field. The role of a theatre assistant in the operating room is very crucial. There is a lot of difference between studying a subject theoretically and gaining knowledge by practically working in the field. Individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technicians have a very crucial role during surgery, therefore, he or she must have gained some experience through an internship before being a professional operation theatre technician.
Also read: Surgical Assistant
What is the job outlook for Operation Theatre Technician?
The healthcare sector is going through a phase of growth. This sector, to function efficiently, will need more qualified allied healthcare professionals. Operation theatres in hospitals, emergency care departments, as well as ICUs in hospitals, are places where OT technicians are needed. For any operation theatre to function smoothly, individuals who opt for a career as operation theatre technicians are needed.
Operation Theatre Technician government jobs, as well as private jobs, are easily available, as many hospitals, healing centres, and facilities are hiring Operating Theatre Technicians. Operating Room Assistants assist in managing surgical wards. The graduates often appear for higher examinations, to be a part of an educator or instructors at important preparation foundations. It is a profession that deals with a combination of professionalism, skills, and most importantly ethics. Individuals who opt for a career as Operation Theatre Technicians are in charge of the operation theatre as well as handling the equipment with care and caution.
Operating room assistant's primary role is to assist surgeons, specialists, anesthesiologists, and nurses. Along with that they prepare and organize surgical instruments before surgery, clean instruments before surgery, obey surgeon's orders amid surgery or crisis strategies, and deal with anaesthesia equipment. Individuals who opt for a career as Operation Theatre Technicians are required across all hospitals that conduct surgeries such as general surgery, gynaecology surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, and urology.
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Frequently Asked Questions for Operation Theatre Technician
Que. What are the equipment used in operation theatre?
Ans.Some Necessary Operating Room Equipment:
| Utility Columns | Surgical and Exam Lights |
| Stretchers and Stretcher Accessories | Cushions and Mattresses |
| Space Management Booms | Sterilisation and Cleaning Equipment |
| Disposables and Consumables | Gel Pads and Positioners |
Que. Why is surgery called Theatre?
Ans.Early dedicated rooms for surgical procedures were called operating theatres because they literally were theatres, built in a gallery style for public observation. It was not unknown for an operation to be cancelled because public demand was such that a larger theatre had to be found.
Que. What is an operation theatre paramedical?
Ans.The operation theatre technician course is a job-oriented paramedical course. During an operation, various equipment, anaesthesia and instruments are involved. Besides assisting the Doctor or Surgeon in surgery, OTs are also capable of taking care of basic patient monitoring activities.
Que. What is B.Sc. in operation theater technology?
Ans.B.Sc. Operation theatre technology is related to all the work and management of the operation theatre. The course prepares students for managing patients as well as for monitoring the ins and outs of an operation theatre.
Que. Who is a General Physician?
Ans.A general physician's job is to ensure patients' well-being through medicine and exercise. In numerous settings, including public health organisations, teaching centres, medical practises, group practises and hospitals, a general practitioner is considered to be practising medicine.
Que. How long does it take to become a Operation Theatre Technician?
Ans.To become an Operation Theatre Technician, you can opt for a bachelor's or a diploma course in Operation Theatre Technology and pursue an internship and additional specialised certification. It might take two to three years.
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Did you know?
Fact 1
Unlike what an individual sees on the television, the operation theatres are quite loud and a lot keeps going on during the time of the surgery
Fact 2
An operation theatre technician is asked to forget everything they learned about the human body from anatomy class
Fact 3
Patients and their family members tend to judge the success of a surgery (at least in part) by how the stitch looks from the outside
