NSCC Library: Surgical Technology Research Guide: Recommended Resources

Surgical Technology Research Guide

This guide is for students in the Surgical Technology program. After using this guide, students will be able to locate and cite sources needed to support and complete coursework, and find information and tutorials on processes that will help provide research strategies.

Surgical Technology Program Textbooks on Course Reserves

Available through Digital Course Reserves, these books are shared through pdf files that expire after two hours.

Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist by Association of Surgical Technologists
Call Number: Digital Reserves
Publication Date: 2024, 6th ed
Berry & Kohn's operating room technique by Hornacky, Anita
Call Number: Digital Reserves
Publication Date: 2024, 15 ed
Pharmacology for the surgical technologist by Howe, Tiffany
Call Number: Digital Reserves
Publication Date: 2025, 6th ed

Surgical Technology Textbooks and Reference books

Additional Textbooks and Reference Books to support the Surgical Procedure Research

Surgical Technology by Joanna Kotcher Fuller
Call Number: Reference RD32.3 .F84 2022
Includes pathology, surgical anatomy, equipment, instruments, supplies, preoperative preparation with positioning and draping, steps of surgical procedure for ST and postoperative considerations.
Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery by Jane C. Rothrock
Call Number: Reference RD99.24 .A44 2023
Includes history and pathology for procedure, surgical anatomy, preoperative considerations, OR positioning, and overview of operative procedures that includes instrumentation.
Guidelines for Perioperative Practice, 2025 Edition by AORN
Call Number: Ebook
Evidence-based practice guidelines for the perioperative team from AORN. Includes guidelines in the areas of aseptic practice, equipment and product safety, patient and worker safety, patient care, and sterilization and disinfection.
Surgical Instrumentation by Renee Nemitz
Call Number: Reference RD 71 .N46 2023
Identification, purpose, and set up of instruments, including Mayo stands, back-table set ups, and instrument sets for common procedures in various surgical specialties.
Surgical Instrumentation by Nancymarie Phillips; Anita Hornacky
Call Number: RD 71 .P45 2024
Instrumentation and assembly for many types of surgeries.

Medical and Health Science Textbooks, Reference Books, and Dictionaries

Use textbooks and reference books to build basic foundational knowledge on your topic. Good for medical background information on a disease, disorder or condition.

R2 Digital Library This link opens in a new window
Includes electronic textbooks and reference books in the areas of Surgery, Medical Surgical Nursing, Anesthesiology, Medical Terminology, Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary
An authoritative reference for medical terminology

Find Books

The section in the NSCC Danvers Library that contains materials related to surgical technology is RD

HELM Library Catalog This link opens in a new window
Search the NSCC Library and HELM Massachusetts college and university libraries for book and media sources.

Professional Journals

Search the following core surgical journals on a surgical procedure. Use the Advanced Search. Type in the name of the professional journal in the Publications field in CINAHL Complete to limit your research to a specific journal

The Surgical Technologist
Professional journal published monthly by the Association of Surgical Technologists. Issues contain Clinical Articles covering a specific surgical procedure with information on A&P related to surgery, role of ST in procedure from preoperative preparation including positioning and draping, to operative procedure that includes surgical instrumentation & equipment, and postoperative care and management of patient. Also includes potential surgical complications and discusses anesthesia use.

Record the citation found in CINAHL to locate The Surgical Technologist article in the Danvers Library's print collection. The Library maintains the current year of the publication plus an additional ten year backfile.
AORN Journal
Journal of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. This peer reviewed, scholarly journal provides professional perioperative staff with evidence-based practice research needed to help them meet the physiological, behavioral, safety, and health system needs of their patients.
Medsurg Nursing
Journal of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses. This peer-reviewed, scholarly journal covers clinical research related to adult medical-surgical nursing.

Find Articles

Use current scholarly, peer reviewed journals to find evidence based research studies. Consider patient diagnosis/population, interventions and outcomes of interest when searching.

CINAHL Complete This link opens in a new window
Nursing and allied health literature. Find evidence based research articles/studies, evidence-based care sheets and practice guidelines.

PubMed
A database of medical and life sciences journal literature maintained by the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine. Search PubMed for evidence based research articles. PubMed includes MEDLINE.

Medline This link opens in a new window
EBSCO interface for the U.S. National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE. Biomedical and health journal content searchable by Medical Subject Headings.
SNAP!Search: Ebsco Discovery Service This link opens in a new window
In a single search, this tool provides an interdisciplinary approach to your research results. Searches across subject database collections, library locations, and format types.

ALL Health Science Databases
Go to a listing of all NSCC Library Health Science databases

Health & Medical Streaming Videos

Open Access video collections from health and medical websites

Find Streaming Videos

Kanopy Health Videos
Access documentaries, training videos, and educational films on health care
Academic Video Online: Health Sciences Collection
Includes films, documentaries, instructional videos and news programs on health care topics

TEAS and Certification Examinations - Review and Study Guides Resources

PrepSTEP for Community Colleges This link opens in a new window
PrepSTEP for Community Colleges offers a variety of practice tests, tutorials, and other resources that help students prepare for college placement tests, explore careers, study for occupational licensing exams, and develop skills in a wide array of technology topics.

From the PrepStep Home Screen click on "Career Preparation". Then select "Prepare for Allied Health and Social Worker Exams"
For TEAS Preparation see "Prepare for the ATI TEAS". This section includes practice tests, A&P Questions, and Games and Study Interactives
For Certification Preparation see "Prepare for Surgical Technologist Certification". This section includes practice exams
Note: in order to use this resource you will need to register for a free account

Official ATI TEAS Study Guide 7 by Assessment Technologies Institute
Call Number: Test Prep LB2353.7.T43 D37 2024
Official ATI TEAS Study Manual 2022-2023 Version 7 by Assessment Technologies Institute
Call Number: Test Prep LB 2353.7 .T43 A85 2022
ATI TEAS : TEAS 7 prep book secrets study guide by Bowling, Matthew
Call Number: LB2353.7.T43 A85 2022
LANGE Q&A Surgical Technology Examination by Carolan Sherman; Mary Chmielewski
Call Number: Test Prep RD 32.3 .S54 2021
Publication Date: 8th ed
Pearson's Surgical Technology Exam Review by Emily Rogers; Ann Marie McGuiness Leary
Call Number: Test Prep RD 32.3 .B64 2020
Publication Date: 4th ed