Surgical Services AS

Surgical Services AS Overview (2059) Limited Access

Type of Award

AS - Associate in Science (CIP 1351090901)

Program Website

https://programs.pbsc.edu/SurgicalServices

Program Description

This program is designed to prepare the student for employment as a Surgical Technologist. In both simulated and clinical surgical environments, students will practice preparing, setting up and maintaining a sterile field, preparation of supplies and equipment for surgery; and patient preparation. Course content includes surgical technology concepts, surgical techniques and procedures. Clinical learning experiences in an operating room and related areas are an integral part of this program. Students in the Surgical Services Associate in Science degree program learn through classroom, laboratory instruction and clinical experiences in the operating room and related areas.

Program Learning Outcomes

For detailed information, visit www.pbsc.edu/ProgramLearningOutcomes.

Admission Requirements

Have a standard high school diploma or GED; and
Complete an Application for Admission, located at www.pbsc.edu/Admissions.

Students must complete the following courses with a grade of C or higher before being admitted to the program:

BSC2085 Anatomy and Physiology 1
BSC2085L Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lab
BSC2086 Anatomy and Physiology 2
BSC2086L Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab
HSC2531 Medical Terminology

Note: BSC2085, BSC2085L, BSC2086, and BSC2086L must be taken within the last 10 years.

For more details about admission requirements please refer to the Admission section of this catalog.

Program Application Requirements

Attend program information session.
Submit a complete Surgical Services A.S. degree program Limited Access application.

Completion Requirements

Students must complete all courses with a grade of C or higher.

Please note that CAAHEP accreditation requires the following requirements for completion of the Surgical Services A.S, degree program and to be able to take the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) exam for professional certification.

The total number of cases the student must complete is 120.
Students are required to complete 30 cases in General Surgery. Twenty of the cases must be in the first scrub role.
Students are required to complete 90 cases in various surgical specialties. Sixty of the cases must be in the first scrub role and distributed amongst a minimum of four surgical specialties. A minimum of ten cases in four different specialties must be completed in the FS role (40 cases total). The additional 20 cases in the FS role may be distributed amongst any one surgical specialty or multiple surgical specialties. The remaining 30 cases may be performed in any surgical specialty in either the FS or SS role.
The Surgical Services A.S. degree program is required to verify through the surgical rotation documentation each student's progression in first and second scrubbing surgical procedures of increased complexity as they move toward entry-level graduate abilities.
Diagnostic endoscopy cases and vaginal delivery cases are not mandatory, but up to 10 diagnostic endoscopic cases and five vaginal delivery cases can be counted toward the maximum number of second scrub role cases.
Observation cases must be documented, but do not count toward the 120 required cases.
Counted cases: cases will be counted according to surgical specialty. Examples:
- Trauma patient requires a splenectomy and repair of a Le Fort I fracture. Two cases can be counted and documented since the splenectomy is general surgery specialty and repair of Le Fort I is an oral maxillofacial surgical specialty.
- Patient requires a breast biopsy followed by mastectomy. It is one pathology, breast cancer, and the specialty is general surgery; therefore, it is counted and documented as one procedure - one case.

For more details about graduation requirements please refer to the Graduation section of this catalog.

Program Length

This is a two year program and requires a full-time commitment.

Location

The program is offered at the Loxahatchee Groves campus.

For More Information

Contact Jo Lana Cota, cotaj@pbsc.edu, 561-790-9129

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the program are eligible for employment in hospital operating rooms, outpatient surgical centers, labor and delivery units, physician's offices and medical sales positions.

Career Path Notes

The Surgical Services A.S degree program provides students with necessary job skills and motivation in keeping with standards of practice as established by the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) and the Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN), enabling them to qualify for, secure, maintain and advance in gainful employment in the field of surgical technology.

Courses from this program may transfer into Palm Beach State's Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Supervision and Management. For more information, visit www.pbsc.edu/bachelors.

In addition, courses from this program may transfer to other colleges and universities that allow students to transfer into a four-year program. For more information, contact the college or university to which you wish to transfer.

Career Center

www.pbsc.edu/CareerCenter

For more information about employment opportunities, including job outlook and salary information, visit: Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/ooh

O-Net Online: www.onetonline.org

Required courses:

Program Prerequisites (Credits: 11)

BSC2085	Anatomy and Physiology 1 (AA)	3 Credits
BSC2085L	Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lab (AA)	1 Credit
BSC2086	Anatomy and Physiology 2 (AA)	3 Credits
BSC2086L	Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab (AA)	1 Credit
HSC2531	Medical Terminology (AA)	3 Credits

General Education (Credits: 19)

ENC1101	English Composition 1 (AA)	3 Credits
MCB2010	Microbiology (AA)	3 Credits
MCB2010L	Microbiology Lab (AA)	1 Credit
SPC1017	Fundamentals of Speech Communication (AA)	3 Credits
AMH2020	United States History Since 1877 (AA)	3 Credits
	Or
POS1041	Introduction to American Government (AA)	3 Credits
	Or
AMH2010	United States History to1877 (AA)	3 Credits
	Choose Any Humanities Area ll, Tier 1 course	3 Credits
	Choose Any Mathematics Area lll, Tier 1 course	3 Credits

Required Courses (Credits: 34)

STS1302	Introduction to Surgical Technology (AS)	3 Credits
STS1304C	Introduction to Surgical Techniques (AS)	3 Credits
STS1323C	Surgical Techniques and Procedures 1 (AS)	3 Credits
STS1340C	Pharmacology and Anesthesia (AS)	3 Credits
HSC1434C	Central Sterile Clinical (AS)	3 Credits
STS2324C	Surgical Techniques and Procedures 2 (AS)	3 Credits
STS2365	Leadership for Surgical Services (AS)	3 Credits
STS2944C	Surgical Specialties Clinical 1 (AS)	5 Credits
STS2945C	Surgical Specialties Clinical 2 (AS)	5 Credits
STS2955C	Capstone for Surgical Technology (AS)	3 Credits

Total Credit Hours: 64

Course Sequence

Term One - Fall (Year One) (Credits: 13)

BSC2085	Anatomy and Physiology 1 (AA)	3 Credits
BSC2085L	Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lab (AA)	1 Credit
ENC1101	English Composition 1 (AA)	3 Credits
SPC1017	Fundamentals of Speech Communication (AA)	3 Credits
HSC2531	Medical Terminology (AA)	3 Credits

Term Two - Spring (Year One) (Credits: 13)

BSC2086	Anatomy and Physiology 2 (AA)	3 Credits
BSC2086L	Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab (AA)	1 Credit
AMH2020	United States History Since 1877 (AA)	3 Credits
	Or
POS1041	Introduction to American Government (AA)	3 Credits
	Or
AMH2010	United States History to1877 (AA)	3 Credits
	Choose Any Mathematics Area lll, Tier 1 course	3 Credits
	Choose Any Humanities Area ll, Tier 1 course	3 Credits

Term Three - Summer (Year One) (Credits: 4)

MCB2010	Microbiology (AA)	3 Credits
MCB2010L	Microbiology Lab (AA)	1 Credit

Term Four - Fall (Year Two) (Credits: 15)

STS1302	Introduction to Surgical Technology (AS)	3 Credits
STS1304C	Introduction to Surgical Techniques (AS)	3 Credits
STS1323C	Surgical Techniques and Procedures 1 (AS)	3 Credits
STS1340C	Pharmacology and Anesthesia (AS)	3 Credits
HSC1434C	Central Sterile Clinical (AS)	3 Credits

Term Five - Spring (Year Two) (Credits: 11)

STS2324C	Surgical Techniques and Procedures 2 (AS)	3 Credits
STS2365	Leadership for Surgical Services (AS)	3 Credits
STS2944C	Surgical Specialties Clinical 1 (AS)	5 Credits

Term Six - Summer (Year Two) (Credits: 8)

STS2945C	Surgical Specialties Clinical 2 (AS)	5 Credits
STS2955C	Capstone for Surgical Technology (AS)	3 Credits

Total Credit Hours: 64