Surgical Technologist - Operating Room - Outpatient Surgery Center (SCB) (Evening Shift)

Position Summary

Under the supervision of a Registered Nurse and Physician, performs the technical functions directly related to surgical asepsis, instrument preparation and presentation during surgical cases. Uses judgment to independently perform various activities related to the effective preparation of instruments prior to, during and following completion of O.R. cases. The OR Technician provides care and takes initiative to improve patient outcomes by supporting Shared Leadership, Evidence Based Practice and Magnet's Five Models of Care in clinical practice. Through therapeutic relationships with patients, families, self and colleagues, the OR Technician functions as an interdisciplinary team member who provides patient care and fulfills unit and organizational goals.
Duties & Responsibilities

• Follows established Operating Room policies and procedures

• Prepares operating rooms for surgery

• Assists in the care, maintenance, distribution and control of equipment and supplies, both sterile and unsterile, which are used in operating procedures

• Assist with operations in the capacity of a Scrub Attendant. This includes arranging sterile articles, handling/passing/serving instruments, dressing materials and suture appropriate to the scheduled operation while maintaining sterility and orderliness of instrument tables

• Completes sponge, needle and instrument counts with RN prior to, during and after surgery according to hospital policy.

• Report discrepancies to the Charge Nurse and Attending Physician

• Under the direction of the RN, prepares medications, (except narcotics), on the sterile field. Double checks dose with RN or MD prior to passing to MD during the case • Assist with infusions under direction of RN or MD.

• Assist with preparation of the Operating Room for surgical procedures prior to surgery by procuring equipment and supplies as indicated in preparation for case, checks equipment for proper functioning, prior to case and after completion of case.

• Inspects instruments and power equipment prior to use to assure operational order and troubleshoots, reports, and removes faulty instrument and equipment from service.

• Participates in the daily stocking of Operating Room supplies (e.g. suture or OMNI supplies etc.)

• Initiates the cleaning of O.R. equipment (e.g. laser machines, etc.) on a daily basis and ensures use of plastic covers

• Assists with instrument clean-up during routine work hours or on after-hour cases. During after-hour cases is responsible for cleaning and packing of instruments

• Maintain a sterile environment to prevent patient infections

• Participates in all phases of room turnover including but not limited to mopping the floor, disinfecting tables/equipment, and room setup. • Recognizes and reports emergency situations.

• Assists in identification, labeling and proper specimen disposition using departmental procedures.

• Performs or assists in sterile preps as needed/requested by monitoring aseptic techniques of surgical team members at field, reporting and correcting breaks in sterile technique immediately, and controlling location of contaminated instruments and supplies.

• Assists with decontamination of all equipment, instruments, and supplies as necessary and assists with cleaning rooms, furniture, and equipment according to established procedures

• Anticipates surgeon’s needs and assists surgeon by draping patients, holding/passing instruments, retractors, sutures, and medications, applying surgical dressings, suctioning and sponging surgical wounds, holding extremities, and moving patients.

• Assures adequate number of appropriate supplies and instrumentation are available in accordance with surgeon’s preference and counts all instruments, needles, and sponges with registered nurse according to procedure.

• Adjusts instrumentation and supplies to changes in procedures and patient condition.

• Adjusts instrumentation and supplies to changes in procedures and patient condition.

•Assists with monitoring and reporting blood and fluid loss during cases.

•Ascertains correctness of count prior to closure of body cavities and surgical wound. assist circulating nurse with restocking the room at end of shift.

•Reviews preference cards and cart cases prior to opening procedure to ensure correct supplies and equipment are available

•Access EPIC to make corrections or changes on preference cards

•Participates in the surgical site and patient verification during the time out procedure.

•Participates in debriefing and quality improvement practices to ensure quality patient care.

•Assisting in patient care by positioning, prepping, and ensuring the patient’s comfort during surgery.

•Transports and lifts trays up to 40 pounds.

•Performs other duties as assigned