Q: What's a typical workday like for you?

A: I work on colonoscopies, esophageal gastro duodenoscopies, endoscopic ultrasounds and endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancratographies. My day starts with setting up and stocking the treatment rooms with supplies for these procedures. We have four regular procedure rooms, an ultrasound room and a room in the OR for procedures that need to be done under general anesthesia. I can work on five procedures a day. During the procedure, I assist the physician with biopsies or snares to remove the polyps, and with banding of the esophagus in case of bleeding. Once each procedure is done, I clean the scopes, remove the dirty linens, clean the room and set up for the next patient.

Q: How does your role fit into the bigger health care picture?

A: I am involved with patient care and helping the doctors. This allows the nurses to better monitor the patients, who are under sedation.
Q: Who do you interact with during the course of the day?
A: I work with patients, doctors, nurses, nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists.

Q: Why did you become an endoscopy technician?

A: I had been working in gastroenterology as a nursing assistant for the past five years and they were phasing out the aides and having the technicians help. I liked being down here and wanted to stay. They posted this job for technicians five months ago and I took the online course and applied, was certified and was hired.

Q: What do you like about your work?

A: I like the more direct care with patients. I have worked inpatient in neurology and in the medical ICU as a nursing assistant for 23 years and 5 years in the GI lab. I love the whole new job. It is very exciting.