Certified Surgical Technologist

Gener al Summary: The Surgical Technologist shall be responsible for delivery of care to the surgical patients. To contribute to the efficient function of the Surgery Department; to give instruction in the technical aspects of surgery and the Surgical Department to medical students, nurses, other technicians and, in some cases, to the patients and their family. The Sterile Processing Tech is mainly responsible for the cleanliness and proper care of surgical equipment used in the operating room. They are an important part of any surgical facility because they are the first line of defense against transferable infection and faulty equipment.

Essential Job Duties:

Surgical Tech: Pick instrument sets and other appropriate instrumentation keeping in mind the proposed surgery, possible complications and the surgeon s preferences. Check the room for necessary equipment. Scrub, gown and glove self and other team members for the operative procedure. Drape the patient or assist the surgeon with draping according to approved methods. Handle instruments correctly and assure their proper functioning. Ensure that proper technique and practices are maintained in the OR. Call attention to any break in sterile technique. DO NOT COMPROMISE. Count sponges and sharps with the Circulating Nurse before surgery, before the peritoneum is closed and after the peritoneum is closed. At all-time try to anticipate the surgeon s wants so that there will be no unnecessary delays. Assist with table and room clean-up before and following the procedure. Prepare for following procedures. Acts as first assistant to the surgeon as needed. The Technologist may be called upon to retract tissue, cut sutures, sponge blood from the wound or irrigate the wound. Properly identifies and preserves specimens received during surgery. Keeps the OR Supervisor notified of progress and changes in the OR, instrumentation and equipment. Notifies other staff of surgery schedule changes. Assist in the orientation, training and education of personnel. Teach and direct other personnel assigned to work under their direction. Restock supplies for the department according to established inventory level. Identifies and reports to department supervisor, servicing and maintenance needs of all surgical equipment and instrumentation. Knowledgeable of the procedures for transporting/receiving preoperative patients. Willing to expand knowledge of surgical technology through journals, individual study, in-services and out of town conferences when requested and approved according to hospital policy. Willing to work different shifts, take call and work weekends as scheduling demands. Attendance required at departmental staff meetings which enhances communication with other team members of needed changes and education of new policy and procedures. Respects the patient s rights to privacy and confidentiality. Cognizant of and follows chain of command by reporting pertinent information to the department supervisor. Other duties as assigned.

Sterile Processing Tech: The Sterile Processing Tech is trained to know all surgical equipment functions and uses. The job is important to facilitate the surgeons and make sure procedures run smoothly and as planned. The Central Supply Clerk must follow guidelines for sterilization exactly since most medical equipment must be completely decontaminated before use. Often, they also are responsible for maintaining necessary supply levels in sterile storage areas. Some of the duties are as follows. Checking equipment for leaks, broken or loose parts, or other defects. Purging waste from equipment, cleaning and sterilizing all tools according to specific protocols. Organizing inventory and ensuring stock for proper tools for all procedures. Stocking and inventorying crash carts. Distributes instruments within the hospital to the surgery department and other appropriate areas. Running autoclaves and other sterilization tools. Operating and monitoring steam autoclaves, sonic washers and other sterilizing equipment. Organizing surgical instrument trays. Recording sterilizer test result. Other duties as assigned.

Qualification and Education Requirements :

Successful graduation from Surgical Technologist training program/school or minimum of one year of experience in OR scrub nursing (may be waived at the discretion of the OR Supervisor). Current BLS certification. Certification as a Central Supply Technician is a plus.

Knowledge of various steps of different operations to be able to anticipate surgeon s needs and of each surgeon s techniques. Correct method of handling instruments and supplies to surgeon. Thorough knowledge of medical asepsis as it applies to the OR. Proper handling of tissue specimens, cultures and smears. Good understanding of various instruments used for each type of operation and proper set-up of operating room. Must have skills to be able to work with tedious tasks such as memorizing numerous surgical instruments, transferring and delivering and keeping inventory of supplies. Must be able to tolerate blood and/or body tissue sight and exposure. Proper training in cleaning procedures and safety protocols will be required.