Technical Certificate
Contact Information: Van Bates 615-353-3708, E-mail: Van.Bates@nscc.edu, Program Site
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, www.caahep.org, 727-210-2350) on recommendation by the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARCSTSA, www.arcstsa.org, 303-694-9262).

Surgical Technology education prepares students for employment in a variety of surgical settings. The program includes extensive classroom time as well as practical experience preparing Surgical Technology students for all major specialties in the operating room.

NSCC Surgical Technology Program Goal Statement:

The Surgical Technology program is an educational experience that produces competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains and prepares them to successfully complete the National Certification Exam. The program provides the qualified and motivated applicant with experiences in a learner-centered environment that is supportive and responsive to individual needs. Learning experiences are facilitated by qualified faculty and/or preceptors and designed to help the student learn to independently apply sound theory to practice.

Graduates of the program should be able to:

• Recognize elements of good patient care and prioritize them before less important elements in the operating room;
• Behave professionally in a stressful environment with demanding personalities while remaining calm and focused; and
• Accurately plan for and perform duties of a surgical technologist in the scrub role in common surgical specialties.

Admission Requirements

• Must submit an NSCC Application for Admission;
• Must have high school diploma or GED;
• Must have completed all Learning Support competencies for reading, writing and math;
• Must submit a complete program application by the appropriate deadline;
• Must submit complete set of transcripts with program application by the appropriate deadline; and
• Must complete a panel interview.
• Selection will be based on a composite admission score consisting of points from the panel interview, GPA, related work experience, courses taken toward program, and Tennessee residency.

Most of the courses in this certificate apply toward Nashville State’s A.A.S. degree in General Technology.

Transfer/Advising

This certificate is designed so that a student can apply most of the required courses toward a Nashville State A.A.S. degree. A student who plans to apply the certificate toward an A.A.S. degree should consult his/her advisor about articulation options.

Anticipated estimated costs to the student will include books, lab supplies, medical services (lab analysis for titers), CPR certification, and membership and exam fees. Taking the National Certification Exam is a requirement to complete the program.

NOTE: Prospective students will be required to provide a copy of a background check and drug screening. NSCC does not use the background check or drug screenings as criteria for admission to the program. Background checks and/or drug screenings are required by some clinical sites as a condition of participation. Students are required to participate in a variety of clinical experiences to successfully complete the program. For questions regarding the background check, please call 615-353-3708.