Surgical Technician

Education/Qualifications Required:

High School Graduate or equivalent

Certificate of completion of a Surgical Technician Program - Preferably Current Surgical Technician Certification, Current Sterile Processing Technician Certification

Experience Required: 

Experience preferred but not required

Position Summary:

Responsible for scrubbing in for surgical cases, setting up and maintaining sterile fields, and assisting the surgeon during the surgical operation. Responsibility includes cleaning the surgical suite as well as cleaning and sterilizing instruments, supplies, and equipment.  

Scrub staff also functions as the scope person during GI endoscopy procedures, responsible for the set up and cleaning of the endoscope as well as assisting the physician with obtaining specimens and positioning the patient.

Essential Functions:

• Prepares rooms with appropriate instruments, sutures, supplies, and equipment necessary for each individual surgical procedure.
• Carefully follows departmental procedures in scrubbing, hand drying, gowning, gloving, and observing for contamination and/or breaks in aseptic techniques. Demonstrates close attention to details off aseptic technique of others at all times during gowning and gloving procedures.
• Follows aseptic technique when opening sterile supplies and setting up procedures.
• Aware of legal responsibilities and reason for complete accuracy when performing operating room counts (sponge, needle, instrument); knows proper procedure to follow in case of an incorrect count; reports discrepancies immediately.
• Assists in draping patient for surgical procedures.
• Ensures safe patient care through careful planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Maintains an orderly and sterile instrument table and/or Mayo stand for purpose of efficiency.
• Passes instruments, sponges, suture, and suction tubes to surgeon and surgical assistant as requested in such a manner that the surgeon need not divert attention from the operating field.
• Displays dexterity in the assembly and use of surgical instruments and knowledge of the step-by-step procedures for specific surgical procedures.
• Remains alert during procedures and demonstrates an ability to handle unexpected situations with calm efficiency; anticipates situations and functions with a proactive awareness; functions appropriately in emergency situations.
• Helps in the obtaining and preparation of specimens.
• Assists in the clean-up and restocking of the operating rooms following operations including proper disposal of used linen, gloves, instruments, utensils, equipment and waste.
• Helps with restocking of supplies and medications to ensure an adequate supply is available.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of sterilization procedures (steam and chemical) including the cleaning, packaging and sterilization of equipment, supplies, and chemical and biological monitoring in Central Service.
• Maintains and updates surgical preference cards, as needed.
• Demonstrates discretion in handling confidential patient information.

Physical Requirements:

• Work is of medium to heavy demand requiring 45% standing, 45% walking and 10% sitting during 8 hour shift of duty.
• Required to lift patients and carry equipment up to 60 pounds 3-4 times daily.
• Must be able to push/pull weights up to 300 pounds for a distance of 150 feet to facilitate moving patients on patient carts to and from surgical suite.
• Required to stoop/bend and squat for short intervals during 8 hour duty shift.
• Frequent reaching (above, below, and at shoulder level) and handling instruments, equipment and caring for patient needs, which all require manual dexterity.
• Hearing acuity needed for understanding and following surgeon/physician directions and communication with patients and other staff members.
• Visual acuity required for recognizing surgical instruments to hand to surgeon, reading medication and package labels and expiration dates.
• Manual dexterity required for handling of instruments and supplies during surgical procedures and assisting the surgeon during the operation.
• Verbal communication skills needed to converse with physicians and staff members.
• Works inside 100% of duty shift.
• Works with hot steam autoclaves, hazardous chemicals, and bio-hazardous body fluids and tissues.