Surgical techs, also known as operating room technicians (ORTs), are healthcare professionals who work with surgeons in hospitals, outpatient clinics and other medical settings. The primary role of a surgical tech is to assist the surgeon in setting up and cleaning the operating room, preparing and arranging surgical instruments and supplies and ensuring that the operating room is sterile and ready for surgery.
Technically, surgical technologists can do the suturing of tissues, in some circumstances, depending on the hospital’s policies, the experience of the ORT and the nature of the surgery. However, the primary responsibility and expertise of surgical technologists lies in the area of providing indirect patient care during the operation. Therefore, in most cases, the surgeon will do the suturing themselves, whereas the surgical technician’s main job is to pass instruments or sterilize sutures for the surgeon.
In some cases, depending on the individual hospital setting and the ORT’s experience and qualifications, the surgical technologist may help the surgeon with suturing of tissues. Though occasional hands-on patient care is part of the their job, it is a secondary task that does not detract from the ORT’s primary role of ensuring a sterile operating room environment for performing surgery.
To summarize, surgical technologists do not usually do suturing, as it is the surgeon's primary responsibility. However, depending on experience, qualifications and hospital policies, they may assist with suturing in some circumstances.
