Surgical Technologists Week | 16 Ideas to Celebrate Your Team

Surgical technologists are the behind-the-scenes heroes who create safe and successful surgeries. They work tirelessly to cater to surgeons’ requests during surgery and sanitize and set up all the tools and equipment needed to perform the procedure. Let’s discuss some of the best ideas to celebrate your team this Surgical Tech Week.

When Is National Surgical Technologists Week and What Is It?

Surgical technologists work incredibly hard to ensure patient safety and dedicate their time and effort to saving lives. That’s why, every year since 1984, the Association of Surgical Technologists Board of Directors (AST) celebrates them in the third week of September, which is known as Surgical Technologists Week.

The Importance of Celebrating Surgical Technologists

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), surgical interventions account for around 13% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally. Often, surgery is the only treatment that significantly reduces mortality from common conditions.

Surgical technicians play a huge role in ensuring the safety of surgical procedures. They work long hours and provide indispensable expertise and steadfast dedication to preparing the operating room and assisting in surgeries. Most of their work is done in the background, so Surgical Tech Week allows companies to give them the spotlight they deserve.

It’s a chance to thank the people who work tirelessly to save lives and achieve positive patient outcomes.

16 Gift Ideas for Celebrating Surgical Technologists

Surgical Tech Week gives companies an opportunity to honor surgical technologists for all they do. It also provides an opportunity for businesses to raise awareness about the conditions that surgery saves and the importance of regular health checks.

You can host a presentation to educate staff on the vital role that surgical technologists play in ensuring patient comfort and safety. Healthcare businesses can invite surgical technologists to talk about their work and experiences that make them proud of their careers.

Handing out Surgical Tech Week gifts is an excellent way for companies to show their appreciation and keep staff aware of the critical role of these medical superheroes. Here are 16 gift ideas to celebrate your team for Surgical Tech Week:

1. Self-Care Tea Set

Surgical techs are exposed to mental, physical and emotional stress during their day-to-day duties. They may also deal with unexpected surgery complications or potential health hazards. It’s important that they take a break to relax and maybe have a cup of tea.

Gifting your surgical techs or staff with a self-care tea set reminds them that you care about their well-being and value them. It also serves as a note of the importance of taking time to relax and just enjoy a cup of tea. If it’s in the budget, you could also organize some special treats for lunch like donuts or cake.

2. Tote Bag

A tote bag is perfect for surgical techs because they’re always on the go. These bags offer style and convenience. They’re spacious enough to hold all the essentials like a planner, lunch and comfortable shoes. Totes are perfect for everyday use and offer surgical techs a throw-and-go storage option suitable for their busy work lives.

3. Jacket

Air conditioning in hospitals is infamously cold. A high-quality, breathable jacket is perfect for surgical technologists. It allows them to have a jacket ready to grab if they need to run errands before or after surgery.

4. Journal

Journaling is a great stress-relief method that encourages you to take some time to self-reflect and gain mental clarity. For National Surgical Technologists Week, gift a custom journal as a reminder to focus on the positive and engage in gratitude. It can help your staff experience the benefits of journaling, such as managing emotions in a healthy way and a reduction in uncomfortable physical symptoms.

5. Stress Balls

Stress balls are always a great gift. They provide a physical outlet for emotional tension and are an excellent opportunity for branding. Their versatility makes them a gift that can be appreciated by anyone. You could give them out to surgeons, staff or customers as a way to celebrate National Surgical Technologists Week and get your company name out there.

You could hand out healthcare-themed options like this happy doctor stress reliever, this funky brain-shaped stress ball or this superhero stress ball as a reminder of how surgical techs save lives.

6. Puzzle

Puzzles are thoughtful and unique gifts. They provide a bonding experience when shared and a custom puzzle gift for surgical techs is a great way to create conversation around this important work field. Handing these gifts out to staff can spread awareness about the importance of appreciating surgical techs and show that your company cares about the community by valuing local heroes.

7. Tumbler or Bottle

Staying hydrated offers many healthy benefits, including joint lubrication, body temperature regulation and maintaining proper organ function. It also uplifts the mood and improves sleep quality. Surgical techs run in and out of the operating room and having a tumbler with a straw allows them to stay hydrated conveniently.

A water bottle is also a good gift, but studies show that reusable water bottles can hold 40,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Opt for an antimicrobial stainless steel water bottle instead of plastic.

8. Stainless Steel Straw

Who doesn’t love straws? They make drinks more enjoyable and are nifty little gifts. Reusable straws offer a convenient way to enjoy a drink while saving the planet, one sip at a time. A buildable, reusable custom straw is small enough to fit into a bag or pocket, making it handy for surgical techs to use on the go.

9. Cell Phone Stand and Grip

Holding a cell phone for extended periods can cause health problems, specifically wrist pain and an increased risk of arthritis. Surgical technicians use their hands to prepare the operating room and assist with surgeries, so a cell phone stand and grip can reduce the need to hold the phone.

10. Bandage Dispenser

A bandage dispenser is the ideal gift for surgical technologists. It allows them to hand out bandages easily when needed. It’s a small gift that’s not just relevant to the field but serves as a reminder of the life-saving work that they do.

11. LED Message Fan

Sharing a heartfelt message of gratitude can make any surgical tech’s day, but doing it with this LED message fan makes it so much cooler. Each time your staff puts the fans on, they’ll see the uplifting message and know how much the business appreciates them.

12. Refillable Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizers are a necessity. They help keep hands germ-free and promote a hygienic work environment. Hygiene is at the core of surgical work, and technicians will appreciate and make good use of the hand sanitizer. A refillable hand sanitizer is better because it allows them to fill it with their preferred products and use it for longer periods.

13. Gel Beads Hot and Cold Pack

With running back and forth between surgery rooms and helping both patients and other healthcare staff, surgical techs are always on their feet. Aches and pains are a given but what if your company could give them a gift that would make their discomfort a little more bearable? A gel beads hot and cold pack has the potential to relieve pain and discomfort and can be used hot or cold for various preferences.

14. Coffee Mug

There’s nothing better than a cup of coffee to get you moving and motivated to take on the day. That’s why mugs are excellent gifts for National Surgical Tech Week. You can put a thoughtful message from the company to remind staff of how much they are appreciated or uplift them when they’re enjoying their morning brew.

15. Snack Bag Clip

Working in an operating room is a high-stress job and surgical techs can often be found multi-tasking and running around the hospital to help in other areas. It’s not unheard of that they often don’t have enough time to enjoy a full lunch or finish a bag of crisps.

A nifty snack bag clip preserves their snacks for later and prevents excessive amounts of air from entering the packaging and making the item stale. You can add a personalized note to the clip in support of Surgical Tech Week.

16. Lanyard Mask Holder

In a hospital, surgical techs typically use a mask even when outside of the operating room. A lightweight lanyard mask holder will allow them to conveniently and safely take off their mask while eating or taking a break. The mask is attached to the clips, allowing them to simply slide it down when not in use and slip it back on when needed.

Meaningful Messages to Add to Your Surg Tech Gifts

Surg tech gifts are a fantastic way to show gratitude as a company, but adding a thoughtful message makes your gift more memorable and heartwarming. Here are some meaningful messages you can add to your customized gifts:

• Happy Surgical Tech Week!
• You are an OR angel!
• Thank you for all your hard work!
• Here’s to the guardians of the OR!

Five Activities to Celebrate Surgical Technologists Week

Celebrating along with gifting really makes the week special and spreads awareness throughout the company. Having set times to have fun while honoring staff members is an excellent way to promote a work environment where employees work proactively to support each other. Here are three ideas to celebrate your team this Surgical Tech Week.

Posters and Cards

Put up a blank poster board in a shared room and encourage staff to add handwritten “Thank you” notes to it. This adds a personal touch to the poster and makes it more heartfelt. It also gets the whole company involved in thanking surgical techs. However, this setup may not work for all healthcare facilities.

You could order a custom poster display and put it in the medical facility’s break room. This is a convenient way of sharing your company’s gratitude and it also has a more professional appeal. You could also place posters around your building to raise awareness about this special week.

To take it a step further, put a box of blank cards in the office or cafeteria and invite staff to fill out personalized gratitude messages to individual surgical techs.

Newsletter Article

Does your company have a newsletter? If so, you can print an article thanking surgical technologists for their dedication. Include a column about the efforts made by individual techs. You can also take this opportunity to talk more about the critical role that surgical technologists play and how your company is showing gratitude.

You can even share the report in a local newspaper, which will show your community how your business makes a difference and gets involved in praising medical heroes.

Throw a Surgical Tech Week Party

Surgical techs deserve to let their hair down. Throw a party on the Friday at the end of the Surgical Tech Week and invite your surgical techs or staff members to celebrate the unsung medical heroes. Put up balloons and other party decorations in the break room to get everyone in a celebratory mood.

Surgical Tech Week-Themed Snacks

To make the party exciting, you can include themed snacks that create a festive mood. Here are some fun ideas:

• Cake with a surgical mask design or stitches
• Cookies shaped like surgical instruments
• Donuts with surgical masks and googly eyes
• Cookies with different electrocardiogram categories

If you want to keep the treats more professional or save time, you could order promotional food gift boxes. You can also play fun surgical tech-themed games at the party, like medical emoji guessing games or themed puzzles.

Take a Field Trip

Surgical technologists would appreciate some time outside the hospital to de-stress and socialize. Organize a field trip to a park or museum. If you’re not in the healthcare field, you could organize a staff trip to your community hospital where your workers can learn more about surgical techs.

This trip will help your company celebrate this special holiday while creating invaluable memories, boosting morale and promoting a positive work environment.

Spruce up Their Breakroom

Surgical techs work long hours and when they get a break, you’ll typically find them in the break room. You can spruce up their breakroom by providing comfortable blankets, cushions, books and a coffee or snack station. They would also appreciate a TV or exercise equipment to enjoy whenever they get a gap between surgeries.

Celebrate National Surgical Technologists Week With ePromos Promotional Products

Now that you have ideas for Surgical Tech Week celebrations, your business can show gratitude to these medical heroes. At ePromos, we specialize in helping companies show appreciation to their employees through the power of gifting. We create customized branded products with your business logo or message. You can rest assured that you’ll be joining our list of happy customers and your employees will thoroughly enjoy our premium-quality products.

Check out some of the work we’ve done for previous clients, including brands like Samsung and LexisNexis. Feel free to contact us for your customized product needs or shop our collections online.