Surgical Technician

UPMC•Altoona, PA

About The Position

Functions as a member of the operating room or surgery center nursing team, providing direct care to surgical patients and performing related duties under the direction of the registered nurse. This is a full-time, day-shift position scheduled from 6:45 AM to 3:15 PM, with call and rotation. The position is represented by AFSCME. The Surgical Technician supports surgical procedures by preparing the operating room, patient, instruments, and supplies; assisting the surgeon as a scrub technician; maintaining aseptic technique; and helping ensure patient safety and proper instrument counts. The role also includes handling specimens, assisting with dressings, casts, and patient movement, and cleaning, storing, packing, and autoclaving equipment and instruments. Pennsylvania law sets certification, training, and continuing-education requirements for surgical technicians. Eligible pathways include completing an appropriately accredited program and maintaining certification, completing appropriate military training, holding certification from an accredited program, or qualifying under the law’s employment-history provisions. Certain facility exceptions may apply when documented recruitment efforts have not produced a sufficient number of qualified surgical technicians. Certified staff must meet their credentialing organization’s continuing-education requirements; non-certified individuals must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years. Access to medications is limited to distributing medication to the nurse. UPMC offers a sign-on bonus for full-time Surgical Technologist positions: $30,000 for a three-year commitment.

Requirements

CPR based on AHA standards, including didactic instruction and a skills demonstration, within 30 days of hire.
Meet an applicable Pennsylvania surgical-technician eligibility pathway: completion of a program sponsored by nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation with certification maintained; completion of appropriate military training; certification from an accredited program; or qualifying employment history under the law.
New graduates of an appropriately accredited program may work for six months before certification and must become certified within six months of program completion.
Maintain certification as required by the credentialing organization, or, if not certified, complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years.
Required clearances and training listed: Basic Life Support (BLS) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal; Act 33 with renewal; Act 34 with renewal; and Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal.
Access to medications is limited to distributing medication to the nurse.

Responsibilities

Use hospital policy to meet JCAHO requirements.
Assist the surgeon as a scrub technician according to prescribed standards, including scrubbing and donning a gown and gloves according to performance standards.
Maintain proper traffic control in the Operating Room Suite.
Use and clean autoclaves according to directions.
Maintain the correct count of sponges, instruments, and needles with the circulating nurse, and report correct counts or discrepancies according to department policy.
Maintain aseptic technique at all times.
Observe patients and be ready for emergencies.
Locate, retrieve, and put away supplies as needed.
Assist with handling specimens as directed.
Assist with applying dressings and casts and with moving patients as directed.
Assist with cleaning the room, furniture, supplies, and equipment after procedures.
Assist with workroom cleaning, storage, packing, and autoclaving of instruments.
Comply with the established occupational exposure policy.
Set up tables, instruments, and supplies according to the type of operation.
Assist with preparing and draping the patient and operative area as needed.
Anticipate the need for instruments, sutures, sponges, and other supplies.