Interviews for Surgical Tech positions are important landmarks in our lives as our career progression depends on them.
During an interview, we are often asked questions that force us to reflect on our careers or personality.
Even if one has not managed to ace an interview, one tends to learn much, which eventually leads to self-reflection – and can help us in improving ourselves for a subsequent interview.
Of course, we all want to be successful in an interview.
So what should one do to be successful in a surgical tech interview?
It is not as complicated as we are often led to believe. Interviewers test candidates from every possible aspect to gauge if they will be good fits in their companies.
It is essential for us to be able to provide a favorable view of each aspect when being interviewed.
Preparation is the key to success here. If you have researched what you may be asked during an interview, you will have no trouble providing the right answers.
See also: Surgical Tech Resume
Below is a set of interview questions and answers for the position of a surgical technician which may help you in your preparation:
Surgical Tech Interview Questions and Answers
What do you think our expectations from you will be if we hire you as a surgical technologist at our facility?
I believe that it is essential for surgical technologists to be able to meet the specific requirements of the facility for which they are working. Apart from specified training pertaining to your facility, I will be expected to facilitate surgeons’ work by providing them with logistical support before, during and after each surgery.
What have been your specific duties as a surgical technologist in the past?
As a surgical technologist, I have been responsible for ensuring that the surgical suite is prepared before each surgical procedure. Sterilization of operating tables, instruments, and equipment, availability of supplies needed during surgeries, and patient positioning were my primary duties.
Why do you feel that you are a good fit for the position of a surgical technician at our hospital?
I am BLS certified and possess three years of experience as an operating room technician. Before this, I worked as a technician in an acute care facility. Both of these experiences have prepared me well to work as a surgical technician.
What type of personal skills do you think you need to be successful in a surgical technologist job?
Apart from job-related technical skills, it is imperative to be calm of nature, possess the ability to stand on your feet for long periods, be organized and meticulous, and can withstand strong sights and odors.
Working as a surgical technician makes one come across many situations of dire emergencies. How do you handle the stress?
Surgeries are stressful, especially the more critical and life-saving ones. I have trained myself to be detached from the situation when performing my work during surgery.
To most, it may seem harsh, but if one wants to make a surgical procedure successful and ensure patients’ wellbeing, one needs to keep the emotions out, which eventually keeps the stress at bay.
What do you believe is the most critical part of a surgical technician’s job?
Everything that a surgical technician does is essential. But I would put more emphasis on two things – patient preparation and ensuring a sterile environment.
Tell us about the importance of post-operation patient handling.
Postoperative patient handling is critical. Recovery begins as soon as a surgery ended, which is why it is essential to make sure that the patient is well taken care of.
Ensuring that patients are safely transported to their designated rooms is the primary responsibility of a surgical technician. Patients are more prone to infections and diseases at this time, and we need to make sure that they are safe.
Tell us about a time when your role as a surgical technologist was truly tested.
One of my patients on whom a vasectomy was performed, contracted a severe infection, and sued the facility for unhygienic conditions in the operating room. Since I was responsible for sterilization of the surgical unit on the day his surgery was performed, I was called in to explain.
My meticulousness came in handy that day as I provided proof, both visual and logged, of all the sterilization procedures that I had performed before his surgery. It so turned out that it was the patient’s negligence in post-surgical self-care that led to the infection.