What is an emergency duty of a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) employed in a hospital?

Taking "call" is an important aspect of a Certified Surgical Technologist's (CST) responsibilities, particularly in a hospital setting. When a CST takes call, they are essentially on standby to respond to surgical needs outside of normal working hours, which is crucial for addressing emergencies and ensuring that surgeries can proceed without unnecessary delays. This responsibility highlights the CST's role in maintaining the efficiency and safety of surgical operations.

While other duties such as administering medications, assisting in the training of new staff, and conducting patient assessments are relevant to various healthcare roles, they do not typically fall under the emergency responsibilities of a CST. Administering medications is generally outside the scope of practice for surgical technologists, and patient assessments are primarily performed by nurses or other clinical staff. Training new staff, while important, is more of a developmental task rather than an urgent duty in an emergency context. Taking call, therefore, directly aligns with the CST's role in responding swiftly to the needs of the surgical team and patients in high-pressure situations.