#42 - What Does a Surgical Tech Actually Do? Alyssa Ellis

What does a surgical technologist actually do during surgery, and how much does the team behind the surgeon affect what happens in the operating room? In this episode of The Joint Replacement Podcast, Dr. Matthew Sloan sits down with Alyssa Ellis, CST, CSFA, creator of Beyond Assisting, for a behind-the-scenes look at life in the OR. With more than 17 years of operating room experience, Alyssa explains the difference between a surgical tech and surgical first assistant, how the sterile field is created and protected, how great techs anticipate a surgeon's next move, and what separates an average surgical team from a truly high functioning one. They also tackle one of the biggest challenges facing operating rooms today: staffing. Alyssa discusses traveling surgical techs, staff turnover, training, compensation, appreciation, OR culture, and why experienced team members cannot simply be replaced without losing something important. Then the conversation turns to orthopedics: What are total hip and knee replacements like to scrub? Are revisions more fun than primary joint replacements? What makes a surgeon good to work with? What happens when something goes wrong during surgery? And if Alyssa could scrub only one operation for the rest of her career, which would she choose? Plus, the important questions: Who controls the OR music? Which specialty has the most fun? What drives surgical techs crazy? And what is the grossest operation to scrub? A fascinating look at the people patients may never remember meeting, but who play an essential role in keeping them safe during surgery.