Microbiology for Surgical Technologists

Margaret Rodriguez is a certified surgical technologist and certified surgical first assistant as well as a professor and program director in the Surgical Technology Department at El Paso Community College in El Paso, Texas. A graduate of the El Paso Community College Surgical Technology program, she earned her B.S. in occupational career training and development from Texas A&M University and her master of education (M.Ed.) in higher education leadership from The University of Texas-El Paso. Following two decades of experience in the OR, Professor Rodriquez has also taught certification preparation courses for sterile processing techs at several hospitals in the El Paso area and serves as an educational consultant faculty presenter for Ethicon, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies. Ms. Rodriguez is a fellow and former president of the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST). She has served on the Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA®) Exam Review Committee of the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) and serves on the NBSTSA board of directors. Additionally, she was a former site visitor for the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA). For several years she served on the Texas State Assembly of AST board of directors, as AST liaison to the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and on the Council on Surgical and Perioperative Safety (CSPS). A prolific writer, Ms. Rodriguez’s work appears in the AST Exam Review Study Guide, AST Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist, Alexander’s Surgical Procedures, Surgical Instrumentation and Surgical Assisting. She has also written for publications including Outpatient Surgery magazine and AST's The Surgical Technologist.

1. INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY.
Microbiology and Surgical Technology. Early Pioneers of Microbiology. The Golden Age of Microbiology. Breaking the Chain of Disease Transmission.
2. THE SCIENCE OF MICROBIOLOGY.
What is Microbiology? Overview of Microbes. Taxonomy. Nomenclature.
3. THE MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY.
Microbiology Lab Personnel. Introduction to the Microscope. Units of Measure. Types of Microscopes. Laboratory Staining Methods. Culture Media. Serology. Specialized Laboratory Analyses.
4. THE PROKARYOTES.
Two Domains: Archaea and Bacteria. Anatomy of a Prokaryote.
5. THE EUKARYOTES.
Empire: Cellular. Domain: Eukarya. Microbial Relationships. Eukaryotic Microbes.
6. MICROBIAL VIABILITY AND GROWTH.
Requirements for Microbial Viability. Microbial Growth.
7. MICROBIAL GENETICS AND MUTATIONS.
Basics of Genetics. Bacterial Genetic Exchange. Genetic Mutations
8. THE EMPIRE OF VIRUSES.
Basic Virology. Common Viruses. Viroids. Prion Diseases.
9. MICROBIAL DISEASE TRANSMISSION.
Epidemiology. Pathogens.
10. PARASITES AND VECTORS.
Overview of Parasitology. Types of Human Parasites. Vectors. Host-Parasite Relationships. Survival Mechanisms. Parasitic Disease Transmission. Neglected Tropical Diseases. Neglected Parasitic Infections in the US.
11. MYCOLOGY.
Overview of Mycology. Characteristics of Fungi. Opportunistic Fungal Infections. Characteristics of Yeasts. Antifungal Resistance.
12. GRAM-POSITIVE COCCI.
Focus Groups. Staphylococci. Staphylococcal Diseases. Streptococci. Streptococcal Pathogens and Diseases. Viridans Group Streptococci. Enterococci.
13. GRAM-POSITIVE BACILLI.
Overview of Bacilli. Bacillus Anthracis. Bacillus Cereus. Listeria Species. Lactobacillus. Clostridium Species. Clostridium Tetani. Clostridium Difficile.
14. ACTINOBACTERIA.
Class: Actinobacteria. Actinomyces. Corynebacterium Species. Mycobacterium Species. Nocardia. Streptomyces.
15. GRAM-NEGATIVE COCCI AND SPIROCHETES.
Neisseriaceae Family. Neisseria. Moraxella. Spirochetes. Treponema. Borrelia. Leptospira.
16. GRAM-NEGATIVE BACILLI AND COCCOBACILLI.
Phylum: Proteobacteria. Brucellaceae. Kingella. Chromobacterium. Alcaligenaceae. Enterobacteriaceae. Moraxellaceae. Pasteurellaceae. Vibrionaceae. Aeromonadaceae. Pseudomonadaceae. Campylobacteraceae. Helicobacteraceae. Other Gram-Negative Pathogens.
17. DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS.
Hematology and Serology. Transmission of Infections from Donated Blood Products. Circulatory System Infections. Blood-Brain Barrier. Infections of the Central Nervous System.
18. DISEASES OF THE SKIN AND INTERNAL TISSUES.
The Integumentary System. Indigenous Microbiota of the Skin. Bacterial Skin Infections. Fungal Skin Infections. Viral Skin Infections. Vector-Borne Skin Infections. Infections of Internal Tissues.
19. DISEASES OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL AND GENITOURINARY SYSTEMS.
The Gastrointestinal System. Diseases of the Gastrointestinal System. Diseases of the Genitourinary System. Types of Urinary Tract Infections.
20. DISEASES OF THE EYES, EARS, AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEM.
Diseases Involving the Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Sinuses. The Respiratory System. Viral Infections of the Respiratory System. Fungal Infections of the Respiratory System. Pneumonia.
21. CONTROL OF MICROBIAL GROWTH.
Control of Microbial Growth. The Three Lines of Defense. Components of the Immune System. Hypersensitivity Reactions. Herd Immunity. Behavioral Factors. Prevention of Disease Transmission in the Surgical Environment of Care.
22. EMERGING, RECURRING, AND REAPPEARING DISEASES.
Microbes in the Media. Emerging Viral Diseases. Recurring Diseases. Reappearing Diseases.