Choma Career Developement

The operating room is not a place for those with a weak stomach. Beneath the whitewashed walls, the smell of chemicals and the bright operating lights is a body that is incised, cut, sutured and suctioned. Though the images you see in the operating room can be quite graphic, rest assured that nothing unsafe happens in the table as long as it is under the careful watch of a surgical technician. The surgeon may earn the fame and the glory for successful operations, but it is the surgical technician who is credited for making sure that the operation goes smoothly.

Surgical technicians ensure that the surgical area is prepped and ready before, during and after the operation. They are the keepers of order in the operating room. When a patient arrives at the dressing area, they are the ones who dress the patient and oftentimes, they are the ones who spot something that the ward nurses may have missed before endorsing the patient. The surgical technician ensures that all the materials used for the operation are complete, sterile and ready to be replaced in case the surgeon drops it.

If you are considering taking up a course to become a surgical technician, you must have a love for books, research and studying because that’s exactly what’s going to take up most of your time. A surgical technician needs to be knowledgeable about medical conditions, pharmacological reactions, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and even math. The best lessons are not in the books, but it the actual operating field.

In the operating room, the surgical technician can either join the sterile field to work directly under the surgeon. He needs to be physically fit in order to retract tissues for the surgeon to gain better view of an organ. Another work for the surgical technician in the sterile field is to directly hand the surgeon the instruments needed for the operation. During the operation, he must actively anticipate the next step of the surgery and hand out the specific instrument needed. A circulating surgical technician is someone who works outside the sterile field and adds instruments into the table and helps keep a close watch on the sponges, forceps and needles used during the operation. He is also responsible for charting the progress and obtaining the vital signs of the patient.

When looking for a job as a surgical technician, your salary will be dependent on the amount of experience and credentials you have. Those who have graduated under schools that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and are Certified Surgical Technicians stand to earn better salary options. Another way to get ahead of the competition is to join trainings and seminars that are directly related to your field of interest. This shows potential employers that you are involved and are passionate about your career.

The demand for quality dental hygiene has expanded over the years. Whether it’s because the proliferation of chocolates has become quite prominent throughout the years or because many people are more conscious about their dental health, there can be no doubt that careers related to dental health are rapidly expanding to meet the demands of the consumers.

One such career related to dental health is that of a dental assistant. Dental assistants throughout the years are obscured in the background. They are the ones we see mixing compounds in the background while the Dentist examines our mouths. For most people, the dental assistants provide some sort of distraction to ease the tension we feel as the Dentist invades our personal space and comfort.

As a dental assistant, you will be exposed to different personalities and people. If you enjoy being around people, love science, have a good memory, have a knack for being organized, and are able to stand for long periods, then being a dental assistant might be the right job for you. Like everything else in the medical field, being a dental assistant means you have to be patient with people and their needs. Being able to work with children is a huge plus as calming them down and gaining their trust is a talent that very few people have.

If you want to become a dental assistant, you need to be aware of the things you need to do on a daily basis. Dental assistants are given very basic, but nevertheless important tasks to perform in a dental office. Before a client arrives, they are responsible for cleaning the office, and ensuring that all instruments are clean and sterile. They perform a complete inventory of the materials in the office and order supplies that are lacking. When a patient arrives, they are the ones who make sure that the dental records are complete and available. They open new profiles for new patients and answer questions like the prices for cleaning or tooth extraction and what the patients should expect while the dentist works with them. Once the dentist arrives, she is responsible for introducing the new patient and the questions the patient has about the procedure. When the dentist has finished reviewing the patient’s past history, the dental assistant shows the patient to the cleaning area and prepares him or her for the procedure. Some dental assistants with extensive trainings can perform basic teeth cleaning duties. If the patient requires finer procedures done, it is the dental assistant’s job to obtain x-ray plates and teeth molds.

Getting proper education for dental assistants is very important. Schools approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation within the American Dental Association are a basic requirement that promising dental assistants should look for. Graduates from these schools should expect a better annual salary as they are qualified to become licensed dental assistants. The annual salary for dental assistants varies from state to state, depending on experience and education, they can earn about $32,000 annually.

The best career option for anyone looking for a stable job is to enter the field of healthcare. One such job that is currently hot on the healthcare market is in sonography. Those who specialize in sonograms are called ultrasound technicians or sonographers. Ultrasound technicians are highly skilled individuals that perform diagnostic exams on patients with the aid of an ultrasound machine. With the help of an instrument called a transducer, the sonographer uses sound waves to bounce off targeted organs in order to provide a real time view of a specific organ inside the body. Once the targeted organ has been found, they can take a picture of it for diagnostic purposes.

Ultrasonographers need a good eye for attention to detail as their findings will help doctors diagnose patients better. They need critical thinking skills during emergency situations and must be attentive to provide a comprehensive view of the patient’s body. Another important skill of an ultrasonographer is having strong interpersonal skills. They need to establish rapport quickly as they prepare a patient for the tests. Patients who are ill are often irritable and need to be coaxed into following instructions.

An ultrasound technologist earns a certificate by getting an education in schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation on Allied Health Programs. The minimum requirement for entering a course is having a high school diploma or a GED certificate. A fast track course will take about a year to complete. Fast track courses are especially helpful for healthcare professionals who want to branch out into another field of healthcare. A two year course will result in an associate’s degree. A four year course in sonography will earn a bachelor’s degree with possible potential for administrative positions.

The more years you build up on your educational background, the higher you salary will be. Salaries for ultrasound technicians will depend on education, trainings and experience. While there are many opportunities for new graduates, those who have accumulated a year’s worth of experience will have better chances of finding an employer. Most employers prefer someone who has experience as they need little or no supervision while working. On the other hand, new graduates are easier to hire because they are willing to work during the hours where the experienced ultrasonographers would refuse.

Considering a career in radiology? Then you might be interested in becoming an x-Ray technician! The x-ray is one of the oldest and most non-invasive methods for diagnosing a patient’s medical condition or illness. X-ray technicians are indispensable members of the radiology team as they take images or plates of bones or organs with the aid of an x-ray machine. With their help, doctors and nurse practitioners can work together to find the proper treatment required by a patient.  X-ray technicians can work in hospitals, doctor’s clinics, nursing homes and even dental offices. He can even work in the field during emergency situations that require the immediate use of a portable x-ray machine.

It comes as no surprise that most x-ray technicians are actually men. Repeated exposure to the radiation without proper protective equipment can pose as a possible health hazard for those working in the radiology department. Women are not advised to spend too much time in the radiology department when they are expecting a child as the radiation poses a potential risk for the life she is carrying inside of her. Men are ideal x-ray technicians because of their capacity to carry heavy objects. Sometimes, the patients that are admitted are unable to move because of an accident that occurred, and it is the x-ray technician’s job to ensure that the patient is positioned properly.

An x-ray technician should have several working traits available to him as well. He needs to know how to deal with people who are uncooperative or hard to teach on a daily basis. Though most of his clients are quite compliant, there are times when he needs to exercise his restraint when a patient begins to reveal character flaws such as suddenly becoming irritable and obstinate. He should also be very ethical. Though an x-ray technician can read the films and be able to point out which patient has poor prognosis, he is not allowed in any way to divulge the information to anyone or anybody- not even the patient herself. Only the Physician can discuss the results of the patient on the x-ray. He cannot tell the patient even if the results on the x-ray are normal. An x-ray technician should have a good grasp of the medical terminologies used so he can communicate his findings accurately on the result.

In order to get a better than average salary, x-ray technicians can opt to further their education by enrolling in schools that offer additional trainings. They can then branch to other fields in the department such as learning how to perform sonograms, magnetic resonance imaging, and CT scans. The more equipment they can learn to master, the better their chances will be at earning a very stable income.