ENDOSCOPY TECHNICIAN

Endoscopy Technician Training

Hybrid / Distance Education Program

The Endoscopy Technician certificate program provides students with the knowledge and skills required to work as an entry-level endoscopy technician (also known as a GI technician or a GI endoscopy technician). Endoscopy technicians primarily assist physicians and nurses with various endoscopic procedures. They are also responsible for maintaining and cleaning medical instrumentation and equipment, including endoscopes and accessories.

Students enrolled in this program will learn how to assist in a variety of endoscopic procedures. The training will also cover sterilization techniques, including the proper method for decontaminating and sterilizing medical instrumentation and equipment. Students will gain a solid understanding of microbiology and infection control. Other topics covered in this program include the fundamentals of sterile processing, endoscopy environment, and system maintenance. The training includes a combination of didactic and lab hours, as well as a 300-hour clinical internship.

AIMS Education has dedicated sterile processing and surgical labs that provide the perfect environment to train students and allow them to practice their psychomotor skills. The practical experience gained during the clinical internship will help reinforce those skills. At the conclusion of the internship, AIMS graduates can take the Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER) exam offered by HSPA.

Hybrid Learning

The Endoscopy Technician program is taught using a hybrid learning environment. All hybrid courses will utilize online and in-person instruction. Lectures may be offered on campus or remotely via a Learning Management System (LMS). Laboratory classes and practical training will be held on campus or at a clinical site.

Online classes will be taught synchronously. Synchronous instruction is real-time instruction that requires students to attend classes at scheduled times.

Clinical Internship

The Endoscopy Technician program requires students to complete a mandatory 300-hour clinical internship. Students will be placed at a clinical site by the AIMS Internship Department. The internship is designed to provide practical training in a real work environment; students will have a mentor who trains and guides them. Students are not permitted to begin the internship until all required classroom and lab hours are completed.

AIMS Education has clinical affiliations with numerous healthcare facilities throughout New Jersey and the surrounding areas. Students will be placed at one or more of these affiliated sites and must complete their clinical hours based on the schedule provided by the school. Internship schedules are based on the availability of clinical sites. All students (Day and Evening) must be prepared to complete their internship during normal business hours (Monday through Friday). The majority of clinical sites do not allow students to complete clinical hours in the evening or on the weekend.

Employment for Endoscopy Technicians

Endoscopy techs are typically employed in the endoscopy department of hospitals and outpatient endoscopy centers. Employment opportunities can also be found in other types of outpatient clinics and physicians' offices where these procedures are performed. Some of the employment possibilities in this field include endoscopy technician, flexible endoscopy reprocessor, and gastrointestinal technician (GI technician).

Endoscopy Technician Duties

Endoscopy technicians assist nurses, doctors and other health professionals who perform endoscopy procedures. Endoscopy technician duties include maintaining and preparing the equipment used in endoscopy procedures, such as disinfecting, cleaning, and calibrating endoscopy scopes and instruments according to facility standards. 

An endoscopy technician is also responsible for helping patients prepare for every procedure. In some instances, an endoscopy technician may assist in polyp removal or biopsies. 

After completing their tech training, endoscopy technicians can choose to work in hospitals, outpatient endoscopy centers, outpatient clinics, gastroenterologists' offices, nursing homes, or long-term care facilities. 

Endoscopy technician duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting physicians with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy procedures.
• Floating as needed to affiliate ambulatory surgery centers.
• Cleaning instruments, maintaining gastrointestinal (GI) diagnostic equipment, setting up rooms, and ensuring equipment is sterilized between patients.
• Ensuring all equipment for all GI procedures is functional prior to each procedure.
• Using special tools and materials to perform product repairs.
• Maintaining proper care and handling of all endoscopes and colonoscopes for the department.
• Monitoring daily incoming and work-in-progress (WIP) levels to schedule appropriate department overtime needs.
• Assisting medical professionals in hospital operating rooms and similar environments.
• Disinfecting and cleaning scopes and tools according to Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) guidelines.
• Participating in emergency and on-call endoscopic cases and training other technicians in basic endoscopic procedures.
• Assisting surgeons directly during operations, ensuring a sterile operating environment and preparing surgical equipment.
• Responding accurately and promptly to the directions of an anesthetist, physician, or registered nurse (RN).
• Assisting in the day-to-day setup of all minimally invasive procedures.
• Assisting staff with necessary daily tasks outside of the operating room.
• Performing setup for doctors in the procedure and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) rooms.
• Positioning or transporting patients to and from the endoscopy unit.
• Cleaning and preparing patients for surgery.
• Assisting in bronchoscopy tests and tracheostomy tube placements.
• Connecting patients to monitors such as an electrocardiogram (EKG) and pulse oximeter.

Endoscopy Technician: Required Skills and Physical Requirements 

You will need to meet the following requirements to qualify as an endoscopy technician:

Required Skills and Abilities

An endoscopy technician must:

• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Have a basic understanding of concepts and practices related to endoscopy procedures.
• Be meticulous and detail-oriented.
• Be able to read and comprehend work-related documents. 

Physical

 Endoscopy technician requirements include:

• Must be able to lift 25 pounds at a time.
• Must be able to stand for the entirety of all procedures.
• Must be able to visually inspect and monitor equipment.

Certification / Registry Exam Eligibility

Endoscopy Technician graduates will be eligible to take the Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER) exam offered by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA). Graduates who pass the exam will earn the CER credential.

Eligibility requirements for the CER credential are solely determined by HSPA, and are subject to change at any time. HSPA is an independent organization. AIMS does not guarantee certification/registry exam eligibility.

Program Length

• 750 clock hours
• Classroom instruction and lab - 450 hours
• Clinical internship - 300 hours
• The Endoscopy Technician program can be completed in approximately 10 months.

Employment Opportunities

• Endoscopy technician
• Flexible endoscope reprocessor
• Flexible endoscopy reprocessor
• Endoscopy specialty technician
• Gastrointestinal technician (GI technician)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Passing score on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam 
• Additional Requirements

Sterile Processing Clinical Hours

Students enrolled in the Endoscopy Technician program have the option of doing an additional 400 clinical hours in the sterile processing discipline (additional costs apply). By completing the additional 400 hours, graduates will be eligible to take the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) exam offered by HSPA. Graduates who pass the exam will earn the CRCST credential.

The 400-hour sterile processing internship will start after completing the 300-hour clinical internship for the Endoscopy Technician program. This is a great option for students who want to get additional experience in sterile processing and open up more job opportunities after graduation.