Hi,

I have had a what seems like a common wart on my hand for a while and it’s just there. Is it ok to scrub in with that or is it an issue?

I have to make this post to brag a little bit, because no one in my real life really understands.

I started cardiac straight out of scrub school. Around the same time I started, our now chairman was also new to our hospital. Because I was new and he was new to the hospital and a little more patient, I was put in his room often. Since I was with him a lot, I learned every single thing about him, to the point where if he wasn’t in the room the fellows would ask me what he would do in certain situations.

Our program is now known as the most important heart transplant program in the world, so with that comes a LOT of call. When I had my first baby, I left for outpatient plastics and a regular schedule. After I had my 2nd baby I became a stay at home mom for a couple years.

A few weeks ago I went to my friend who is now the CSL and asked if I could come back PRN and they made me a position. I could have thrown up on my way in the first day, I was so incredibly nervous. It didn’t help they paired me with my old surgeon for my first case back. Although it was in some ways like riding a bike, it was also a little sloppy and I wasn’t happy with myself at all. I cried on the way home.

A couple of days later, an email was sent out to the entire team to reintroduce me. My surgeon responded and said “Hasn’t missed a step!” This doesn’t seem like a lot, but for him it was a big deal. Everyone was talking about it the next day, a nurse I hadn’t even met said it made her cry for me.

Later that day I was with a surgeon I hadn’t worked with before. When I introduced myself he said “You’re THE u/leasarfati??? Dr. (My surgeon) has told me so much about you.” Of course that freaked me out, so I felt like I messed up that entire case 🤦🏻‍♀️.

Today, I worked with a congenital surgeon, his pans and instruments were completely different. This was a 5x redo chest with no access for cannulation, he was stressed and obviously I was too. I felt like I did awful the whole case, at one point I stabbed him in the hand with an #11 blade! Finally towards the end, after we were off pump, he stopped and asked if we had worked together before. I told him no, quickly told him my background, and apologized for not knowing his preferences. He stopped me and said “I can tell you’re a phenomenal scrub by the way you handled yourself today”.

I was blown away! I’ve been soooo sooo nervous to get back into this, but so excited. I loved cardiac so much and thought with 2 young kids it was a life that was long in the past, but now going back PRN (no call!!!!) and I still kind of have it. I have to admit I’m a little proud of myself.

Hi all, I'm graduating soon as a surgical tech and looking at jobs in the Chattanooga TN, area.
For those working as CSTs here:

What's the typical starting hourly rate for a new grad?

Does it differ much between hospitals (Erlanger, CHI Memorial, Parkridge, etc.) and outpatient surgery centers?

Are there sign-on bonuses, shift differentials, or call pay I should ask about?

Any advice on negotiating as a new grad is welcome too. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I’m currently in school to receive my certification however my local hospital is hiring for a surgical services assistant, the position said no certification is required. I was able to get an interview with the hiring lead and I’m just wondering what to expect? I’ve only worked customer service jobs and this would be my first interview in healthcare, so I’m freaking out.

Any tips helps! Thank you in advance.

https://certifiedsurgicaltechnologist.com/2026/10/26/surgical-technologist-call-survey/

Did anyone else start out hating this job? I’ve only been there for a week and I just hate it. I feel like I’m in everyone’s way and like I will never catch on to all of the information I need to know. Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated.

Look, I was very neglected and I have a flathead, I can’t wear any scrub caps because it just emphasizes the deformity so I have to wear the bouffants and look ilke a mushroom. If I’m doing joints I have to put a towel or two between my head and the hood for it to sit right and not slide down my neck. Does anyone know of any padded scrub caps? Not just for aesthetics but also to be able to wear a hood without the thing sliding down my neck and giving me a headache in the middle of a joint.

Do you change yours daily? People at my hospital seem to wear the same one days in a row but I thought they were supposed to be changed daily?

Thought I would this here to cast a wider net as I’m guessing people here have had a similar issue. Having some trouble with gloves, which sucks cause we use and change them so much. I’m a dialysis PCT and am changing gloves literally 2 million times a shift. This is specific to dialysis, and depending on what I’m doing, if my hands aren’t soiled, we use hand sanitizer after taking gloves off and before donning a new pair.

In general, my body runs hot. So when I’m in the clinic running around I’m hot, even more so with full PPE on (face mask, face shield, gown, and gloves). My hands puff up when I’m hot, so the sweat plus the constant hand sanitizer makes it hard to get gloves on. If my hands were cold and didn’t puff, I could wear a large just fine. Since they puff, I’ve been using x-large. I can get them on just fine, but this size is almost too big. They’ll go on, but then I have extra in the fingers and when my hands are sweaty plus hand sanitizer (yes it’s dry but yall know what I mean) I can’t adjust them without ripping them. And too much extra in the fingertips is bad since I need my tactile feel for inserting needles/cannulating the patient’s access.

Yes, my doc does know and it’s not a glove allergy. I do have an autoimmune disease that is where the inflammation/hands puffing comes from. Any ideas?

What is considered the “best” school (I’m sure there are many) to become a first assist? I don’t want a path to RN or PA. Trying to spend the least amount of money but get the most out of my education. TIA

I fractured my radius and have a complete fracture of my ulnar styloid process. I got a plate and screws on the radius, and letting the ulna heal by itself. I'm 5½ weeks post surgery and starting physical therapy soon. Any exercises you found most helpful for returning to work? Or any tips in general? Also, how long was it until you returned to work? Im a traveler and need to know when to start looking for a contract so I can work again as soon as I'm cleared. Im so bored

Really would love someone to bounce ideas off of or ask questions. Even an online mentor. I have so many questions I’d love to ask someone but some may not always be things I’d want my instructor reading if somehow she figured out it was me. I’ve got great grades but I definitely feel like she doesn’t like me she also is very aggressive in a way that specifically triggers my PTSD. I can have thick skin in a work environment and have before, it’s her communication specifically. Honestly if someone regularly treated me like she does I would be at HR filling a complaint. It’s not just me either, multiple students have left in tears sometimes becuase of her, but my PTSD I think makes me the most impacted. Trying not to dox myself but essentially the way she talks down to me is so close to how my also physically abusive ex would that it’s uncanny, even some of the words are the same. My classmates are so kind and encouraging but honestly she is not. All of us agree she is very catty and abrasive.

I just would love to ask questions about things like how you guys handle call, whether accommodations are ever available for anything (if they’re not it’s okay, just means I may need to go to a surgery center instead of a hospital depending on a few things)…. I don’t even feel comfortable asking her anything.

I REALLY want to do this more than anything. Even if it means there’s days like today where I hide in the supply room and cry for ten minutes to pull myself together.

Cracked chests, fresh grafts, and that first beat off bypass. If open-heart is your happy place, read on.

🏆 You'd be joining one of America's 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery (Healthgrades), with a 3-star STS rating for CABG.
📝 It's a temp contract or temp-to-perm job, day shift, and you'd start as soon as you're credentialed (about 3 weeks).
❤️ The cases are CABGs, valves, aortic and structural heart, and ECMO/MCS.

You'll need an accredited ST program, NBSTSA CST, AHA BLS, and a VA surgical tech license before you start. 2+ years of CVOR is preferred.

📲 Call or text Carlo at 954-361-7449 or email carlo@palmcareers.com. You can also just text "CVOR."

I’m thinking of applying for nursing program that starts the fall after I graduate. Too soon maybe?

Is it normal to feel really intimidated by surgeons? It’s only my second day at my new CST job but I feel like I cant perform as well because I feel if I make a mistake the surgeon is going to lash out. Is it just because I’m new? With more experience will this feeling eventually go away?

I'm a cst student in my final semester. I felt like I was doing well, but then I rotated into a hospital that really killed my confidence and I feel like I've regressed a lot in such a short time. I went to my internship and completely did horrible. Simple mistakes that compounded throughout the day.