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Operating room technician skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Operating room technician example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical operating room technician skills. We ranked the top skills for operating room technicians based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 21.2% of operating room technician resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an operating room technician needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 operating room technician skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how operating room technicians use patients:
  • Established and maintained interpersonal relationships with patients, visitors and other hospital personal, while assuring confidentiality of patient information.
  • Protected patients' rights by maintaining confidentiality of personal and financial information according to hospital regulations.

2. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how operating room technicians use patient care:
  • Facilitated quality patient care and assisted nursing staff in performing nursing procedures.
  • Performed preoperative and postoperative duties to better facilitate quality patient care.

3. Surgical Procedures

Surgical procedures include the list of tasks that are done while doing surgery. Usually, a surgical procedure involves an incision with instruments, performed to repair damage or heal the disease in a living body. Surgical procedures are performed by trained individuals such as surgeons, doctors, and nurses.

Here's how operating room technicians use surgical procedures:
  • Provide surgical technician support for surgical operations ranging from minor surgical procedures to more complex and extensive surgical procedures.
  • Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures by washing and sterilizing equipment using germicides and sterilizers.

4. Surgical Technologist

A surgical technologist refers to a health professional who assists and works alongside surgeons, nurses, and other health care team members throughout a surgery. While many of these professionals work in general surgery, some opt for a surgical specialty area like cardiology, pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, etc.

Here's how operating room technicians use surgical technologist:
  • Selected by Assistant Director of Operating Room to receive on-the-job training to become surgical technologist.
  • Obtained National Certification Society of Certified Surgical Technologist.

5. Aseptic Technique

Aseptic technique is a routine measure or series of actions used to prevent or minimize the risk of harmful microorganisms being introduced into a sterile area of the body during procedures that violate the body's natural defenses. The primary aim of the aseptic technique is to eliminate germs, that is, pathogenic microorganisms, to avoid contamination of a wound and other sensitive parts of the body, as this can lead to infection.

Here's how operating room technicians use aseptic technique:
  • Maintain and monitor aseptic technique during surgery.
  • Retrieved instruments the utilizing aseptic technique.

6. Sponges

Here's how operating room technicians use sponges:
  • Assisted doctors by handing them needed instruments during surgery, counted sponges, and needles before and after the operation.
  • Assist Head Doctors by handing instruments during surgery and with counting sponges, needles and blades before and after operation.

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7. Patient Safety

Here's how operating room technicians use patient safety:
  • Organized mobile medical equipment units ensuring patient safety.
  • Maintained Sterility in OR suite for patient safety during surgery.

8. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how operating room technicians use cpr:
  • Assisted in CPR training certification classes for new hires.
  • LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION: Virginia Nurse Aide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

9. Surgical Instruments

Here's how operating room technicians use surgical instruments:
  • Decontaminated/sterilized surgical instruments and equipment.
  • Maintained extensive inventory of surgical instruments and equipment; processed and issued supplies; sterilized and decontaminated instruments and equipment.

10. Room Environment

Here's how operating room technicians use room environment:
  • Set up a sterile operating room environment and was responsible for maintaining that field.

11. Sterile Processing

Here's how operating room technicians use sterile processing:
  • Work closely with sterile processing to ensure availability of instruments.
  • Worked as a back up surgery scheduler, assisted in sterile processing and case preparation.

12. Sterile Technique

Here's how operating room technicians use sterile technique:
  • Maintained sterile technique as measured by recognized breaks in technique and demonstrated knowledge of how to correct with appropriate technique.
  • Trained and supervised new nurses and technicians on surgical instrument usage and sterile techniques.

13. Surgical Cases

Here's how operating room technicians use surgical cases:
  • Assist surgical cases providing additional instruments and/or supplies.
  • Certified Operating Room Technician assisting in surgical cases.

14. Infection Control

Infection control describes the principles and practices used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities to control and minimize the spread of infections with the aim of lowering rates of infection. Infection control refers to the process of detecting and controlling pathogens in order to reduce their spread.

Here's how operating room technicians use infection control:
  • Followed safe practices using OSHA/HIPAA for infection control measures, customer service standards, and departmental policies as listed.
  • Prepared patient skin for surgery in accordance with infection control standards.

15. Ortho

Ortho is a medical prefix that refers to straightening something. This is seen in medical professions such as an orthodontist, who straightens teeth, or an orthopedic physician or surgeon, who assists in straightening a skeletal structure to prevent future deformities or harmful issues to develop.

Here's how operating room technicians use ortho:
  • Center, Washington, DC Member of Plastic/ENT and Ortho Specialty teams.
  • Worked in OB, GYN, URO, GEN, ORTHO, ENT, EYES, VAS and Endo cases.
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List of operating room technician skills to add to your resume

Operating room technician skills

The most important skills for an operating room technician resume and required skills for an operating room technician to have include:

  • Patients
  • Patient Care
  • Surgical Procedures
  • Surgical Technologist
  • Aseptic Technique
  • Sponges
  • Patient Safety
  • CPR
  • Surgical Instruments
  • Room Environment
  • Sterile Processing
  • Sterile Technique
  • Surgical Cases
  • Infection Control
  • Ortho
  • Retractors
  • Dexterity
  • IV
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Anesthesia
  • Medical Terminology
  • Pediatrics
  • Preference Cards
  • Surgical Equipment
  • Compassion
  • Podiatry
  • Catheter
  • Room Procedures
  • Hippa
  • Recovery Room
  • Patient Transport
  • Instrument Trays
  • Medical Equipment
  • Autoclaves
  • Cleanliness
  • Sterile Environment
  • Room Equipment
  • Dependability
  • Endoscopy
  • Sterilizers
  • PACU
  • General Surgery
  • Thoracic
  • Sterile Instruments
  • Surgical Suite
  • Labor Delivery
  • HIPAA

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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