A Colorado hospital system is tackling a shortage of surgical staff by creating a new training opportunity for its own employees.It's a really specialized area. In order to become a surg tech, you have to either get an associate s degree or go to a program. A lot of people haven't even heard of it the job before. So, we wanted to bring awareness and recognition, said Maggie McCluskey, AdventHealth regional perioperative educator. To help solve the shortage, AdventHealth has launched its first surgical technologist apprenticeship program in its Rocky Mountain region to grow the surgical technologist workforce from within.Most facilities in the Denver metro have had a shortage of surge techs, and it's a lack of awareness, and then sometimes the high stress of the job as well. We really want to get them trained so they can know our staff, our surgeons, make those connections, and feel more comfortable in the operating room, said McCluskey. Surgical technologists play a key role in the operating room, helping surgeons during procedures.The OR is a really specialized place, and so we have our specialized nurses, but we also have our specialized surgical technologists, said McCluskey.This year-long apprenticeship gives current AdventHealth clinical employees the chance to train for a surgical tech career in the operating room while still earning a paycheck.I couldn't imagine having to work and do the program. Being able to just focus on getting all the information and learning all of the instruments and not having to worry about doing another job on the outside, it makes it easier for me, said Tynesha Matthews, surgical technologist in-training.The first group of five apprentices started in February, each representing a different hospital in AdventHealths Rocky Mountain region. Our surge techs are individuals who are literally the right-hand man or woman of the surgeon, and they're handing instruments, anticipating needs, said McCluskey.Hospital leaders say recruiting surgical techs has been a challenge across the Denver metro area, partly because many people dont know the role exists or cant afford to take time off for training. Colorado hospital launches apprenticeship to grow its own surgical tech workforceWe decided, why not start within AdventHealth to see who we could find that was interested, said McCluskey.The group of five will spend their first few weeks completing online coursework and hands-on skills labs before moving into clinical rotations at their home hospitals.Tynesha Matthews is one of the five apprentices in the program. Currently, I'm a surgical tech in training. I was a medical assistant, and now Im training to go into the OR. I've always wanted to do something different in healthcare, and the OR just seems so interesting, like a step up and more challenging, said Matthews.For trainees like Tynesha Matthews, the program also provides a new perspective on what goes on inside an operating room.Could be a minor surgery, but there's still a whole team behind it. So, it's kind of like the teamwork and the, if you succeed, I succeed. I like that part, said Matthews.Once training is done, hospital leaders say a job is already waiting for them at their home hospitals.So, they're hired in by their facility, said McCluskey.A second group of apprentices is set to begin this program in July.Back in 2023, AdventHealth Castle Rock launched its clinical ladder program to help solve a nursing shortage. ...read more read less