Surgical Technician

Operating Room Technician

Under the clinical supervision of a Registered Nurse and direction of the Assistant Nurse Manager to assist with the final preparation of the operating room/procedure room prior to the surgery, handing instruments and surgical supplies to the surgeon during surgery and performing the follow-up procedures after surgery.

The Power of WE: Together, we can make a greater impact. Bringing better care and expanding healthcare services across the community.

Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH) is the second largest public health care system in California and includes three acute care hospitals, 14 clinics and 60+ specialty and sub-specialty services. Our mission is to provide high-quality, accessible healthcare and excellent service to everyone in Santa Clara County.

Because we serve patients throughout multiple hospitals and clinics, you may have to work at different sites. We will meet any obligations we may have when this occurs.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center - SCVMC is a full-service tertiary acute care teaching hospital with 699 licensed beds providing a wide range of specialized services, including Rehabilitation, Burn, Trauma, and NICU. SCVMC was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #6 Rehabilitation Hospital in the nation and #1 in the West and designated as a 2024 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care, Heart Failure, Stroke, Hip Fracture, and Pneumonia.

O'Connor Hospital - O'Connor Hospital (OCH) is a 358 licensed bed acute care facility offering a full range of inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and specialty programs to residents of Santa Clara County. It was founded in 1889 as one of the first hospitals in the county. OCH has grown significantly over the past five years in both its inpatient volume and its Emergency Department visits. Along with these volume increases other ancillary and clinical departments like imaging, lab, pharmacy, and respiratory have seen growth as well.

St. Louise Regional Hospital - Since 1989, St. Louise Regional Hospital (SLRH) has been caring for the residents in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, offering a wide range of inpatient and outpatient medical specialties. SLRH has 93 beds, is a Designated Primary Stroke Center, and is the only acute care hospital in the area. Located in Gilroy, SLRH maintains a CALSTAR 2 emergency helicopter base on the premises.

Regional Medical Center - Regional Medical Center (RMC) is a 258-bed hospital that is the main emergency healthcare provider for East San José, treating a wide range of critical and life-threatening conditions for more than 60 years. Since the SCVH integration of RMC effective 4/1/25, RMC has expanded the critical services including Level II trauma, Thrombectomy capable Stroke Center and STEMI care, and has been seeing an increased number of emergency visits and inpatient volume.

Learn more about Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.

Typical Tasks

• Scrubs for operations;
• Hands sterile instruments and surgical supplies to the surgeon during an operation;
• Participates in setting up an operating room prior to surgery;
• Opens sterile packs and arranges instruments and supplies according to surgical procedures;
• Assists in cleaning and restocking operating/procedure rooms;
• May assist in securing instruments, supplies or equipment;
• May clean, pick, count and sterilize instruments;
• Assists in keeping records of operating room activities;
• May help transfer sedated post-surgical patients from operating room/procedure table to transport gurney or bed;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
• Performs other related work as required.

Employment Standards

The knowledge and abilities are acquired through completion of high school and one year of experience as a surgical technician or graduation and certification from an accredited school of Surgical Technology. Certification from a nationally recognized Certification Board is preferred. Possession of current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by the American Heart Association or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) by the American Red Cross is required upon appointment.

Knowledge of:

• Basic anatomy and physiology;
• Basic medical terminology;
• The principles, practices, and techniques of asepsis and their applications;
• The various types of equipment, instruments and surgical supplies used in surgical procedures;
• Sterilization and chemical disinfection methods.

Ability to:

• Understand the instructions of the medical and nursing staff and to carry them out precisely and quickly, often under tense and emergency conditions;
• Work closely and effectively with members of the surgical team;
• Handle disinfecting chemicals without risk to health, using proper protective equipment;
• Adapt quickly to changes in assignments and priorities;
• Organize work and work area to complete tasks promptly;
• Read, write, comprehend and speak English effectively;
• Perform routine clerical work;
• Wear hospital laundered scrub clothes.