Surgical Technician

DEPARTMENT: OR SERVICES

FACILITY: Tift Regional Medical Center

WORK TYPE: Full Time

SHIFT: Daytime

SUMMARY:

The Surgical Technician is responsible for delivering safe, quality patient care throughout all phases of surgical procedures by functioning as an integral member of the perioperative team. Under the direction of the surgeon and in collaboration with nursing and anesthesia personnel, the Surgical Technician establishes and maintains the sterile field, anticipates the needs of the surgical team, prepares and manages surgical instruments, supplies, and equipment, and assists with patient care activities to promote optimal clinical outcomes. This position is responsible for maintaining aseptic technique, ensuring compliance with regulatory and organizational standards, participating in quality improvement initiatives, and contributing to the efficient operation of the Operating Room while demonstrating a commitment to patient safety, service excellence, and continuous professional development.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Keeps abreast of pertinent federal, and state regulations and laws and Tift Regional Health System, Inc. ("TRHS") policies as they presently exist and as they change or are modified.
• Understands and adheres to: TRHS' compliance standards as they appear in TRHS's Corporate Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy; and HIPAA and TRHS policies regarding privacy and security of protected health information.
• Demonstrates the ability to perform tasks that meet the age-specific requirements of the persons, patients, vendors, and staff that the employee is charged to interact with as required by the position.
• Offers suggestions on ways to improve operations of department and reduce costs.
• Attends all mandatory education programs.
• Improves self-knowledge through voluntarily attending continuing education/certification classes.
• Maintains required competency levels as identified in written exams, skills checklists, skills labs, annual safety and health requirements as well as service excellence education hours requirements.
• Cross-trains in order to better assist co-workers and to provide maximum efficiency in the department.
• Volunteers/participates on hospital committees, functions, and department projects.
• Manages resources effectively.
• Reports equipment in need of repair in order to extend life of equipment and removes malfunctioning equipment out of service with timely reporting to the appropriate personnel.
• Makes good use of time so as to not create needless overtime.
• Performs all duties required to establish and maintain the sterile field, including gathering, inspecting, opening and organizing supplies, instruments, equipment, medications and solutions necessary for surgical procedures.
• Performs the surgical scrub, dons sterile attire, and assists members of the surgical team with gowning, gloving, draping, and securing sterile tubing, cords, and accessories while maintaining the highest standards of aseptic and sterile technique.
• Serves as the surgical scrub during operative procedures by anticipating the surgeon's needs and efficiently passing instruments, supplies, medications, irrigation solutions, and equipment.
• Performs instrument, sponge, sharps, and medication counts in accordance with policy and participates in all required procedural verifications, including surgical time outs and debriefings, to promote patient safety and quality outcomes.
• Assists with all phases of surgical procedures by holding retractors and instruments as directed, suctioning and sponging the operative site, cutting sutures, coordinating endoscopic and robotic instrumentation when appropriate, preparing sterile dressings and immobilization devices, and preparing, labeling, and transferring specimens in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Assists with patient care activities before, during, and after surgical procedures, including patient identification and verification, patient transfers and positioning utilizing proper body mechanics and anatomical principles, maintaining normothermia, assisting anesthesia providers when appropriate, applying grounding pads and tourniquets, performing skin preparation procedures, and assisting with transport of patients to the post anesthesia care unit when indicated.
• Assists the circulating nurse and surgical team by anticipating and obtaining additional instruments, supplies, and equipment during procedures, maintaining accurate procedural records as assigned, updating surgeon preference cards, reporting pertinent patient and procedural information, and communicating actual or potential concerns that may affect patient safety or surgical outcomes.
• Demonstrates competency in all approved sterilization methods and appropriately cleans, decontaminates, prepares, and transports surgical instruments and equipment for terminal sterilization. Participates in operating room turnover activities, removes contaminated materials, restocks supplies, reports malfunctioning equipment, and prepares the operating room for subsequent procedures.
• Maintains competency in surgical technology practices through mandatory education, continuing education opportunities, annual competencies, and cross training activities.
• Participates in departmental quality improvement initiatives, committee work, and projects that support operational excellence, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and service excellence standards.
• Maintains compliance with organizational policies and procedures for the proper identification and verification of patients, specimens, and patient samples to ensure accuracy, patient safety, and regulatory compliance throughout all phases of care.

EDUCATION:

• Diploma in Surgical Technology

CREDENTIALS:

• Certified Surgical Tech

OTHER INFORMATION:

• Certified Surgical Tech preferred.

Southwell/Tift Regional Health System, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.