First Assistant

St. Tammany Parish Hospital • Covington, LA

19h • Onsite

About The Position

The Surgical First Assistant at St. Tammany Health System collaborates with the surgeon and the healthcare team to perform safe operations with optimal patient outcomes. This role requires perioperative practice knowledge, skills, and judgment specific to clinical practice, performed in collaboration with and at the direction of the surgeon during the intraoperative phase. Responsibilities vary with the surgical operation and specialty, including aiding in exposure, hemostasis, and other technical functions. Clinical skills performed under direct supervision of the surgeon may include patient positioning, skin preparation, providing visualization of the operative site, assisting with hemostasis and closure of body planes, selecting and applying appropriate wound dressings, and securing drainage systems. Depending on their formal background (Registered Nurse or Surgical Technologist), the employee will function as a First Assistant or Circulator/Surgical Technologist according to departmental needs. St. Tammany Health System is a full-service acute care facility located in Covington, Louisiana, described as a peaceful, scenic, community-oriented area, and is in a clinically integrated partnership with Ochsner Health System.

Requirements

• Certification as a Surgical First Assistant from an accredited certifying agency
• Graduate from an accredited School of Nursing and/or School of Surgical Technology
• Current registered nurse licensure in LA, if formal RN background
• Current BLS certification through any International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) provided courses such as but not limited to: Ochsner Health System, American Heart Association, and American Red Cross. The ILCOR course must include a manikin check off
• Must be available in-house within 30 minutes when on call

Nice To Haves

• CNOR
• Two years perioperative services experience

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the surgeon and the healthcare team in performing a safe operation with optimal outcomes for the patient
• Practice perioperative practice, utilizing acquired knowledge, skills, and judgment specific to clinical practice
• Practice in collaboration with and at the direction of the surgeon during the intraoperative phase of the perioperative experience
• Provide aid in exposure, hemostasis, and other technical functions that will help the surgeon carry out a safe operation with optimal results for the patient
• Perform clinical skills under direct supervision of the surgeon, which may include: positioning the patient, preparing the skin, providing visualization of the operative site, utilizing appropriate techniques to assist with hemostasis, utilizing appropriate techniques to assist with closure of body planes, assisting with selecting and applying appropriate wound dressings and providing assistance in securing drainage system to tissue
• Function as a First Assistant or Circulator (if RN background) or a Surgical Technologist (if ST background) according to the needs of the department/staffing assignment

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees