Health Technician (Surgical)

Health Technician (Surgical)

Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington

About the Position: Serves as a Health Technician in the Department of Surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center, providing comprehensive support for surgical procedures ranging from routine operations to complex, high-risk, and trauma cases. This is a Direct Hire Solicitation.

• Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service.
• A recruitment incentive may be authorized.

At Madigan you will practice alongside civilian and military health care experts and experience unique professional opportunities. Our staff serves by caring for our military but are not subject to military requirements. We operate within safe staffing standards - giving you time to provide exceptional care.

Tacoma is a progressive city of 200,000 nestled between Seattle and the state capital of Olympia. The region offers the attractions of larger metropolitan areas, with a hometown feel. World-class museums, hotels and theaters draw thousands to downtown Tacoma while the shores of the Puget Sound and Mount Rainier inspire outdoor enthusiasts. The Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, Chihuly Bridge of Glass, Emerald Downs Racetrack, Emerald Queen Casino, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, Lakewold Gardens, and the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad represent a small sampling of the region's varied entertainment options. The city offers excellent schools, universities, parks, festivals and regional shopping centers.

Located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest on the Puget Sound, in Washington State, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) is near the city of Lakewood, 10 minutes from Tacoma and 20 minutes from Olympia, the state capitol. JBLM is situated in a key location along Interstate 5, allowing easy access to Sea-Tac Airport and to the deep-water ports of Tacoma and Seattle. Although the Army and Air Force missions have changed over the years, one thing has not changed—the natural setting of the base. Majestic Mount Rainier looms on the horizon, towering over the other peaks of the Cascade Range. From the mountains to the deep waters of Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean, the local areas abound in natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. Camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating and now sports are a way of life in Washington State.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

Responsibilities

This position serves as a Health Technician (Surgical) in a Medical Treatment Facility, responsible for presurgical, surgical, postsurgical, and equipment and operating maintenance.

Major Duties:

• Presurgical Operations: Screens each patient to ensure all requirements are met and transports patients from the hospital units to the operating room. Ensures all have been prepared for surgery, and is alert of any potential signs of respiratory, viral, clinical infection, or skin disorders that may cause any conflicts or issues during the surgical procedure. Positions patients in preparation for the draping process and follows pre-operative nursing care plan. May be required to shave the operative site. Selects, assembles, and organizes required supplies, equipment, and instruments in accordance with operative work sheets, physician preference cards and/or conferring with physicians or charge nurse. Obtains sterile supplies, sutures, dressings, linens; opens instrument sets, pours solutions, sets up and adjust equipment such as: electric coagulator, electric bone saw, operating microscope, air power drills, defibrillators and resuscitators; makes suction connections and adjusts operating lights.
• Surgical Operations: Passes instruments to the surgeon and maintains alertness for complications developing during surgery. The incumbent actively engages in the stabilization of tissue with the proper instruments in collaboration with direction of the surgeon to facilitate and successfully carry out procedures. Assists anesthetist during induction and throughout the procedure. Obtains supplies needed such as blood, drugs, solutions, instruments, and additional sterile supplies and prepares, labels and transports specimens to laboratory. Records designated data on patient log and documents information in intraoperative nursing record. Responsible for aseptic techniques maintenance during the process of preparing for/assisting in the surgical procedure.
• Postsurgical Operations: Conducts sponge, sharps, and instrument counts with the charge nurse, verifying total count at end of surgical procedures or change of personnel. Measures blood and fluid loss and assists with application of dressings.
• Equipment and Operating Maintenance: Cleans operating room post-surgery, removes and disposes of soiled and/or contaminated materials; changes linen; washes, disassembles, sterilizes, and reassembles instruments. Removes gross contamination, soil, blood, tissue fragments, and operates various sterilizing equipment. Replenishes sterile packs and general supplies and restocks shelves as needed. In the absence of housekeeping personnel, mops and disinfects all equipment in the operating room suites. Sets up and performs first echelon maintenance on all operating room equipment. Determines best methods for sterilizing and tests operation of equipment daily to ensure effectiveness and conformance to requirements. Properly arranges and reassembles medical instrument trays by size and sets based on inventory needs/instrument sets card. Removes items from sterilizers as needed; inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization and aerates, labels and properly stores packages. Assembles operating room carts as needed. The incumbent cleans all autoclaves in the section as needed, runs spore test daily, and keeps documentation in records in compliance with Joint Commission Accreditation Hospital Organization and Infection Control Standards and as Quality Assurance for patient safety and tracking mechanisms. Oversees one of two operating room suites during weekend, evening, and night shifts when required. Orients and trains newly assigned personnel and students explaining operating room procedures and requirements. Gives and receives in-service training in new technology, equipment, instruments, and new techniques.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

Who May Apply: US Citizens

You must have 1-year of experience and possess all certifications required to perform the duties listed above.