Job Summary:
Under direct supervision, serves as scrub person for basic surgical procedures; prepares instruments and operating room for surgery; troubleshoots, reports, and removes from service faulty equipment; inventories and monitors instruments, sponges and needles on operative field; anticipates surgeons and patient care needs; performs or assists in sterile preps; maintains appropriate quantities of surgical supplies and equipment; assists with decontaminating and cleaning rooms, furniture, equipment according to established procedures. In addition, serves as scrub person for complex surgical procedures; provides orientation/training to Surgical Tech IIs and IIIs; serves as resource/reference to surgical team with regards to surgical instrumentation.
Essential Responsibilities:
Serves as scrub person for complex surgical procedures. Follows department procedures for scrub persons; assembles surgical packs, supplies and instruments for surgical cases, prepares operating room for surgery; assures sterile packages integrity and expiration date before opening; inspects instruments and power equipment prior to use to assure operational order; troubleshoots, reports, and removes faulty instrument and equipment from service ; assures adequate amount of appropriate supplies and instrumentation are available in accordance with surgeons preference; counts all instruments, needles and sponges with Registered Nurse according to procedure.
Inventories and monitors instruments, sponges and needles on operative field using department count procedures; adjusts instrumentation and supplies to changes in procedures and patient condition; assists with monitoring and reporting blood and fluid loss during cases; In conjunction with Registered Nurse, ascertains correctness of count prior to closure of body cavities and surgical wound. assist circulating nurse with restocking the room at end of shift.
Anticipates surgeons needs; As directed by surgeon, assists surgeon by draping patients, holding/passing instruments, retractors, sutures and medications, applying surgical dressings, suctioning and sponging surgical wounds, holding extremities, and moving patients. Recognizes and reports emergency situations; under direction of surgeon or nurse, adjusts priorities and participates in resolving problems as appropriate.
Assists in identification, labeling and proper specimen disposition using departmental procedures. Performs or assists in sterile preps as needed/requested; monitors aseptic techniques of surgical team members at field; reports and Corrects breaks in sterile technique immediately; controls location of contaminated instruments and supplies.
Maintains appropriate quantities of surgical supplies and equipment; restocks room with necessary equipment and supplies; apprises supervisor of special requests for surgical supplies and equipment. Assists with decontamination of all equipment, instruments and supplies as necessary; assists with cleaning rooms, furniture, and equipment according to established procedures.
Orients and trains Surgical Technologist IIs and IIIs as needed; provides feedback of same to Supervisor; reviews, recommends and assists in updating department policies, procedures and protocols for surgical technologists. Serves as resource/reference source to Surgical Technologists and other staff members with regards to surgical instrumentation; provides and conducts in-services as needed.
Demonstrates sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities in area of specialization. Demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to provide care and/or service appropriate to age groups served. Demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to provide culturally sensitive care and/or service.
Performing Other Duties and Responsibilities:
Performs other duties and accepts responsibility as assigned.