Operating Room Surgical Technologist

Emory Healthcare•Atlanta, GA

7h•Onsite

About The Position

At Emory Healthcare, the Perioperative Surgical Department at Emory University Hospital Midtown consists of 28 OR suites, with 3 to 4 designated for cardiovascular cases. Service lines include General, GYN, Urology, Bariatrics, Robotics, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Podiatry, ENT, Skull Base, OMFS, Plastics, and CVOR. The department is staffed 365 days a year, with potential for late, on-call, and/or holiday requirements, as well as rotation to cover overnight and weekend shifts. An 8-12 week orientation period is provided, depending on experience. This role involves implementing and evaluating care for pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients undergoing diagnostic and invasive surgical procedures. The Surgical Technologist provides care to patients with complex health issues, serves as a clinical resource, and anticipates less predictable outcomes of surgical interventions. They lead service area-based committees and are considered an expert in at least one specialty area, capable of handling multiple specialties such as General Surgery, ENT, Robotics, Ophthalmology (Corneal; Retina Cell transplants), Complex GYN, Complex Ortho/Spine, Thoracic, and Vascular. Responsibilities also include identifying cost containment activities, monitoring and maintaining supplies, and initiating purchases to ensure par levels. The individual identifies complex patient needs by reviewing procedure protocols, physician's requests, and assessing physical needs, prioritizing procedures and supplies for specialty groups. They identify and report unusual incidents and complex procedure problems, plan for surgical procedures based on surgeon and patient needs, and implement interventions related to surgical procedures. The role requires utilizing appropriate standards of care and clinical pathways, determining necessary equipment, materials, and resources, and communicating patient and staff needs to management. They keep the peri-operative team informed, maintain professional behavior, and participate in developing and revising protocols and clinical pathways. Documentation of all care aspects is required. The technologist establishes and meets goals in clinical practice, management, education, and/or research, maintains active professional organization membership, and functions as a resource for patient advocacy and complex interdisciplinary needs. They assist in identifying staff and patient education needs, planning and conducting new staff orientation, and assisting with unit-based competency requirements. They serve as a role model or mentor, comply with policies, and provide input for policy development. Continuous education and participation in performance improvement programs are also part of the role, including assisting in research and related activities, identifying researchable problems, and analyzing/reporting data. They also assist surgeons and nurses with patients, equipment preparation, aseptic technique, and surgical procedures, preparing the OR by assembling supplies, instruments, and equipment, and setting up/operating specialized instrumentation and equipment. They follow procedures for pre and post-operative accounting of sharps, sponges, and instruments.

Requirements

A high school diploma or equivalent
Graduation from a surgical technology program or equivalent job training, which may include military perioperative programs and/or hospital-based training programs
Two years multispecialty experience with one year in a complex specialty area
Ability to function as a clinical expert in two or more complex specialty service lines
Ability to float to other complex service lines as needed
Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification in accordance with the American Heart Association

Nice To Haves

Certification in Surgical Technology

Responsibilities

Implement and evaluate care of pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients undergoing diagnostic and invasive surgical procedures
Provide care to patients with complex health issues and serve as a clinical resource to staff
Analyze and anticipate less predictable outcomes of surgical interventions
Lead service area based committees
Identify cost containment activities
Monitor and maintain supplies and initiate purchases to ensure par levels
Identify more complex patient needs by reviewing procedure protocol, physician's request, and assessing the patient's physical needs
Prioritize procedure process and supplies for specialty group of patients
Identify verbally or in writing unusual incidents during patient care procedures and identify complex procedure problems related to patient reaction, symptoms, or changes in needs based on patient reactions
Plan for surgical procedure based on identified needs of surgeon and patient
Implement intervention for identified patient problems as related to surgical procedure and patient needs
Utilize appropriate standards of care, and/or collaborative clinical pathways to guide the plan of care
Determine the equipment, materials, and resources needed to meet the patient procedure plan
Communicate patients' and staff needs and responses through written and verbal communication to management as appropriate
Keep the peri-operative team abreast of the procedure needs and progress
Maintain courteous and professional behavior in all interactions
Participate in the development and revision of procedure protocols, unit based forms and specialty clinical pathways
Document all aspects of care by following the established unit procedure
Establish and meet goals in one or more of the following areas: clinical practice, management, education, and/or research
Maintain active membership in professional organization
Function as a resource to resolve issues related to patient advocacy
Act as a resource for complex interdisciplinary needs
Identify available supply resources to meet procedure needs
Assist in identifying staff and patient education needs based on clinical situations and recommend appropriate inservice
Assist with planning and conducting department orientation of new staff and students
Assist with unit based competency requirements
Serve as role model or mentor for new staff and students
Comply with established policies and procedures
Provide input in developing and revising policies and procedures pertaining to specialized patient population to improve the quality of patient care
Successfully complete hospital and department based orientation programs
Attend educational programs to develop optimal knowledge in area of specialty
Assist in identifying ways in which patient and procedure outcomes can be modified through research and/or quality monitoring to improve the quality of patient care
Serve as clinical resource for Surgical Technologists in designated service line for orienting new employees
Review and identify revisions to the surgical preference cards for designated service
Participate in unit based and hospital wide performance improvement programs
Assist in research and related activities in the surgery department
Identify and communicate researchable problems as appropriate
Analyze and report data to appropriate source
Perform related responsibilities as required
Assist surgeons and nurses with patients, equipment preparation, aseptic technique, and surgical procedures in the operating room
Prepare the operating room for surgery by assembling routine supplies, materials, instruments, and equipment
Obtain special supplies indicated by physician
Set up and operate a variety of specialized instrumentation, manual and powered equipment
Follow procedures for pre and post-operative accounting of sharps, sponges and instruments used in the surgical set up