Purpose of the Role
Be a vital part of the surgical team by ensuring every procedure runs smoothly, safely, and efficiently. In this hands-on role, you'll support surgeons and surgical assistants by preparing sterile environments, managing instruments and supplies, and maintaining an organized operating room before, during, and after procedures. Your attention to detail and commitment to patient safety will directly impact successful surgical outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Operating Room Preparation & Setup
Prepare and maintain a sterile operating room by setting up surgical instruments, equipment, drapes, and solutions.
Assemble and verify both sterile and non-sterile equipment, ensuring everything is fully functional before procedures begin.
Prepare special trays, graft materials, and required supplies for specific surgical cases.
Intraoperative Support
Anticipate surgeon needs by efficiently passing instruments, sponges, sutures, and sterile supplies during procedures.
Assist the surgical team by holding retractors or instruments, cutting sutures, suctioning, and sponging the operative site under supervision.
Accurately count sponges, needles, instruments, and supplies to ensure patient safety.
Ensure all medications are clearly labeled and handed to the surgeon in accordance with established policies and procedures.
Patient Care & Safety
Prepare patients for surgery by washing, shaving, and ensuring aseptic incision sites.
Transport patients to the operating room, assist with positioning, and apply sterile surgical drapes.
Help the surgical team don sterile gowns and gloves.
Maintain constant awareness of safety, infection control, and aseptic techniques throughout all procedures.
Specimen & Documentation Support
Assist with the preparation, handling, labeling, and disposal of specimens for laboratory analysis.
Accurately document and record required patient and procedural data.
Post-Procedure & Room Turnover
Assist with patient transfer to the recovery area following surgery.
Clean, restock, and reset the operating room to ensure readiness for the next procedure.
Monitor equipment placement, functionality, and inventory levels.
Schedule:
Eligible participants must have 6 months of experience, and work 48 weekends per year, 24 hours per weekend (either two 12-hour or three 8-hour shifts per weekend, between the hours of Friday at 3 p.m. and Monday at 7 a.m.
PA legislature House Bill 81 enacted 10/29/2020 and became effective 12/27/2020.
Must have completed program sponsored by nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation and maintains certification or Has completed appropriate military training program or Maintains certification from accredited program or Was employed as a surg tech in a health care facility on or before effective date of the act (12/27/2020 or Employed as a surg tech at another health care facility two years before effective date (12/27/2020.
Continuing education requirements: Compliance with continuing ed requirements specified by the credentialing organization for certification. For individuals not certified - must complete 30 hours of continuing ed every two years.
Specialty experience: Surgical specialties include but are not limited to: general, orthopedic, vascular, plastic and reconstructive, obstetrics and gynecology, thoracic, ophthalmic, neurosurgery, organ procurement and endoscopic surgical settings. Access to medications is limited to the distribution of the medication to the nurse.
Note: Staff employed to practice surgical technology by the health care facility on or before the effective date of the law (12/27/2020 or who were employed as a surg tech at another health care facility two years before effective date of the law are grandfathered and therefore not required to have certification. New graduates of a program sponsored by nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation can work for six months prior to certification but must be certified within six months of program completion. Entry level job 0-2 years experience.
NY State Law: Public Health Law 2824 Chapter 292 of the Laws of 2013 enacted 01/01/2015
(a after a diligent and thorough effort has been made, the healthcare facility is unable to employ or contract with a sufficient number of qualified surgical technologists who meet the requirements of this section;
(b the healthcare facility makes a written record of its efforts under paragraph (a of this subdivision and retains the record at the healthcare facility; and
(c the person meets the requirements of subdivision three of this section within two years of the start of employment or contracting for the performance of surgical technology.
Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:
CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire
Certification Details - Certified Surgical Technologist (CST or Technologist Surgery Certified (TSC within 6 months of program completion: Exception: A health care facility may employ individuals who do not meet the certification requirements if after a diligent and thorough effort has been made they are unable to employ a sufficient number of qualified surg techs who meet the requirements (i.e. certification and a written record of efforts is made and retained at the health care facility. (1. Recruitment efforts are documented and can be supplied for this record. 2. The supply of certified or eligible to be certified surg techs does not meet the needs of the organization.
PA legislature House Bill 81 enacted 10/29/2020 and became effective 12/27/2020.
Provides evidence that the individual maintains a surgical technologist certification from an accredited certification program or was employed to practice surgical technology by the healthcare facility on or before the effective date of this section or was employed to practice surgical technology as the individuals primary function in another health care facility at any time during the two years immediately preceding the effective date of this section.
Applicants will be placed in the appropriate job title and salary from the career ladder, based on their individual experience and education.
Basic Life Support (BLS OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR
Certified Surgical Technologists (CST OR Tech in Surgery-Certified (TSC
Act 34
UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran