Surgical Technician

Where You'll Work

Founded in 1873, Dignity Health - Mercy Medical Center is a 186-bed, acute care, nonprofit hospital located in Merced, California. Serving over 150,000 patients annually, the hospital offers a full complement of services including a Level II NICU, heart care, the Mercy Cancer Center, and a family birth center. Additionally, Merced Medical Center has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and is a Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center.

One Community. One Mission. One California


Job Summary and Responsibilities

As our Surgical Tech, you'll be an integral surgical team member, providing skilled assistance for safe, efficient procedures critical to patient outcomes.

Every day you will prepare the OR (instruments, equipment, supplies) and assist surgeons/nurses by anticipating needs, passing instruments, and maintaining the sterile field. You'll count items, handle specimens, assist with patient positioning, and adhere strictly to aseptic technique.

To be successful, you will demonstrate meticulous attention to detail, strong sterile technique knowledge, and the ability to anticipate needs in a fast-paced environment. Excellent communication and a steadfast commitment to patient safety are essential.

• Aseptic Technique Practices - Properly scrubs, gowns and gloves for all surgical procedures. Uses proper PPE for all situations. Promotes use of Ortho Garb. Employs excellent aseptic technique, Discards items with doubtful sterility prior to use in accordance with standards. Indicates breaches in technique, takes corrective action. Follows guidelines for usability of human and mechanical implants. Delivers and receives needed information to appropriate people concerning the case and possible changes.
• Surgical Scrub Functions - Participates in planning intraoperative patient care for appropriate physician and consideration of patient characteristics. Sets up the operating room for procedures according to physicians preference card and surgical procedure scheduled. Obtains supplies needed for intervention including but not limited to special instrumentation and sutures as indicated by the procedure and patient Adjusts equipment, supplies and/or instruments, promotes maintenance of temperature, skin integrity, and communicates with patients in accordance with age specific needs or requirements. Counts sponges, sharps and instruments with nurse in accordance to unit policy. Passes instruments appropriately to prevent injury and contamination. Monitors needles, sponges and instruments to prevent loss or injury, discards sharps in appropriate sharps container. Receives specimens from surgeon, passes to nurse accurately identified. Prepares wound dressing appropriately. Assists with positioning and transfer of patients. Stocks suite ensuring constant readiness and availability of supplies. Assures all equipment is functioning before surgery begins. Marks non-functional equipment and report to Director. Checks tray menus and give appropriate feedback concerning tray preparation.
• Turn Over Functions - Assists with OR suite cleaning. Removes all exposed equipment and supplies from OR Suite prior to next procedure. Removes and disposes of soiled linens and waste. Re-sterilizes unused supplies. Cleans and decontaminates stationary equipment and furnishings. Returns all equipment to its proper storage location. Participates in conservation of supplies. Keeps rooms ready for emergency or unanticipated cases at all times.
• Preceptor Functions - Assists in the precepting and orientation of new staff members and students on the unit following departmental standards at all times. May act as a resource person to other staff members. Participates in ordering, stocking of supplies and maintenance of standard equipment and disposables per their assigned daily or weekly task list.
• Surgical Conscience - Applies the principles of asepsis in a knowledgeable manner to provide optimum patient outcomes. Understands and can demonstrate set up of sterile field. Initiates corrective action when breaks in techniques occur. Inspects sterile items for contamination before opening. Maintains sterility while opening sterile items for procedures. Discards any contaminated or suspected contaminated article. Understands and uses the concepts of universal precautions.
• Quality - Active participant in OR quality initiates Used AIDET in all communications with patient, family and visitors Cooperative with SCIP initiative Supports NPSGs for proper patient and surgical site identification Supports recycling through Dignity Health elected company Reports broken or malfunctioning equipment takes action by tagging and removal from area. Participates in annual inventory as directed. Files event forms as necessary. Participates in development or maintenance of OR standards and policies. Assists with updates and maintenance of surgeons preference cards. Actively assists with Flash Log for proper tracking of flash loads.

Job Requirements

Required

• High School GED General Studies, upon hire or
• High School Graduate General Studies, upon hire and
• Certified Surgical Technologist (CST), upon hire or
• Technologist in Surgery-Certified (TS-C), upon hire and
• Basic Life Support (BLS) - CPR, upon hire
• Must be able to take call shifts as assigned

Preferred

• One year experience as an OR technician

Please be advised that this location requires quarterly American Heart Association (AHA) Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) competency certification post-hire. This ongoing competency is required through resources internal to the facility; outside RQI competency resources are not acceptable for CommonSpirit Health compliance requirements.