The staffing crisis around surgical technologists is a confluence of a few different factors.
Part of the issue is low pay. CareerExplorer asked 280 surgical technologists about how fairly they feel they’re compensated, and the satisfaction level was only 2.9 stars out of a possible 5. Feeling undervalued is leading to burnout, with 37% of healthcare leaders reporting an increase in surgical technologists’ turnover in the last year, according to the OR Manager Salary/Career Survey.
Interestingly, surgical technologists with a college degree are at a higher turnover risk. A study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing and Midwifery found that when increasing the education level of surgical technologists, the likelihood of job burnout increases.
For technologists with a degree, they can grow frustrated, hitting a salary ceiling after spending so much time and money in the field. In contrast, becoming a surgical technologist often represents a quick jump in pay for MedCerts students. Through MedCerts, it only takes 4-9 months to get certified, and learners can still maintain a full-time job while studying.
Even aside from the burnout issue, shifting demographics are leading to an increased need for surgical techs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates on average, there will be 8,600 job openings for surgical technologists and assistants over the next decade, with a 6% (faster than average) growth rate for the position through 2033.
We’re fast approaching the point that 1 in every 5 residents will be retirement age. At the same time, low fertility rate means that while aging baby boomers will require more and more surgical procedures, there will be fewer people entering the workforce, making it harder to recruit new surgical techs.
Even while the demand for surgical technologists is increasing, there are often fewer options for healthcare employers to train employees to become surgical techs. In the past few years, there has been at least a 21% decrease in the number of surgical technology programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
With only 8 states requiring a CAAHEP-accredited program and/or a NBSTSA certification to become surgical technologists, the good news is healthcare employers in most states can get around the shortage of surgical technologists by partnering with MedCerts.
How MedCerts Approaches Training Surgical Technologists Differently
Given all those challenges, healthcare providers need a more sustainable solution in addressing the surgical tech shortage. MedCerts solves several key problems healthcare employers typically face when looking to expand the pool of qualified candidates through traditional training pathways.
The MedCerts Surgical Technologist Training Program features an asynchronous online curriculum, meaning students can learn at their own pace, and there’s far more flexibility on where training programs can be offered. This is especially important in rural areas, where there are usually no local training options.
MedCerts is also significantly faster in turning learners into surgical technologists who are job-ready. The MedCerts Surgical Technologist program takes on average 18 weeks to complete, compared to the 2-year period it typically takes to get an associate degree in Surgical Technology.
The didactic training covers a variety of topics, including setting up the OR, assisting surgeons, handling instruments, preparing implants and applying post op dressings. The clinical portion of the curriculum is administered by the employer and usually involves learners assisting in surgical procedures 3 days a week.
Learners who successfully complete the MedCerts Surgical Technologist program will earn the Tech in Surgery – Certified (TS-C) credential from the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).
Pacific Surgery Center: Overcoming The Lack Of Rural Candidates
The Pacific Surgery Center (PSC) serves a community of 12,000 residents in Poulsbo, Washington, and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers nationwide. CEO Karen Franco, MBA, for years struggled to fill surgical technologist (ST) positions due to the lack of viable training options, before partnering with MedCerts.
Franco viewed the program as a way to “close the gap” for those interested in becoming surgical technologists. Students accepted into the program were assigned an experienced preceptor, who supplemented the virtual modules with hands-on labs, ensuring learners were being turned into highly trained Operating Room professionals.
PSC has already sponsored five employees through the ST program, with Franco noting the success of the “really popular program” helped justify the recent addition of a fourth OR.
San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center: Finding A Long-Term Staffing Solution
San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center (SLV) is a 40-bed hospital in rural Alamosa, Colorado. Deb Braly, RN, a nurse educator in the surgery department, turned to MedCerts, needing a faster and more effective pipeline for training and retaining Surgical Techs.
Braly found the MedCerts program thorough enough to both upskill current workers and train new hires, including those with no medical background. They completed MedCerts’ didactic lessons, and received their lab practice of skills and procedures at SLV, finally scrubbing into cases at the hospital under the supervision of a preceptor. Braly used different tools to personalize the curriculum to ensure the students were ready for their roles at SLV.
In exchange for SLV covering the program tuition cost, learners agreed to work at the medical center for at least 2 years. So far, the program has been a complete success. There have been 7 program graduates, with 4 becoming certified Surgical Techs and 3 becoming Surgical/Sterile Processing technologists. 100% of program participants graduated and are still working at SLV.
Conclusion
The long-term trends that have led to the Surgical Tech shortage, including high staff turnover, an increasingly elderly population and less traditional training certification programs, will continue to be a challenge for the foreseeable future. For different results, healthcare employers need a new approach to employee training. Online training and MedCerts Partner Solutions provide that innovation, offering a sustainable way to train and retain Surgical Techs, even in rural communities.
Want more information about how MedCerts Partner Solutions can help solve your medical facility’s surgical tech shortage? Contact us at [email protected] to learn more!
