Surgical Technician

Veterans Health Administration • Milwaukee, WI

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Surgical Technician serves as a primary scrub person, preparing, organizing, assembling, and handling instruments, supplies, and equipment for surgical procedures. The technician collaborates with the surgical team before and during procedures, anticipates the surgeon’s needs, and assists with tasks such as suctioning, holding retractors, and preparing skin grafts. The role requires use of universal precautions and facility procedures for handling specimens, with accurate labeling information provided to the circulating nurse.

The technician assists with patient care, including positioning, prepping, draping, obtaining supplies, applying dressings, and transport to and from the operating room. They share responsibility with the circulating RN for soft goods, sharps, and instrument counts, and follow department policies to prevent retained surgical items. The position also includes training residents, medical and nursing students, surgical technology students, and new OR staff, as well as other department assignments such as sterile core duties, turnover team work, clerical tasks, scheduling, and surgical assisting.

The role includes maintaining equipment and work areas, performing non-technical equipment maintenance, assessing supply needs, and assisting logistics personnel with stocking. The technician supports other staff and students, identifies hazards and takes corrective action, and protects themselves and others from injury during patient positioning and movement. Other duties may be assigned.

The OR operates from 0700 to 1930. New hires begin with an orientation tour Monday through Friday, 0700–1530; after orientation, the tour is determined by department needs. On-call duty is required, including weekends and holidays. This is not a virtual position. The role involves extended periods of standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and stretching, as well as the ability to distinguish low-range sounds or voices amid competing OR noise and to pass instruments dexterously while maintaining sterile technique.

Requirements

• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-6, including knowledge and use of medical instruments, anatomy, physiology, and aseptic technique; sterilizer operations and effectiveness testing; handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during surgical procedures; cleaning and rotating sterile supplies; and handling contaminated items and applying infection-control procedures.
• Alternatively, one full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) or an internship in directly related coursework, such as anatomy and physiology, surgical technology, or aseptic techniques, from an accredited college or university.
• A combination of qualifying graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet the GS-7 qualification requirements.
• Submit transcripts if qualifying based in whole or in part on education.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Complete the required application steps, questionnaire, and online assessment.
• Selected applicants are subject to urinalysis for illegal drug use before appointment and must complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Serve a one-year probationary period.
• Ability to distinguish low-range sounds or voices in a noisy surgical environment.
• Dexterity to pass instruments while maintaining sterile technique.
• Ability to perform extended periods of standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and stretching.
• Must be available for required on-call duty, including weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, organize, assemble, and handle instruments, supplies, and equipment as the primary scrub person during surgical procedures, using preference cards and posting slips.
• Collaborate with the surgical team before and during procedures and anticipate the surgeon’s needs, including suctioning, holding retractors, and preparing skin grafts.
• Use universal precautions and follow facility and department procedures when handling specimens; provide accurate information to the circulating nurse for labeling.
• Assist with patient positioning, prepping, draping, obtaining supplies, applying dressings, and transport to and from the operating room.
• Share responsibility with the circulating RN for soft goods, sharps, and instrument counts, and follow policies to prevent retained surgical items.
• Assist in training residents, medical students, nursing students, surgical technology students, and new OR staff.
• Perform department assignments including scrub duties, sterile core duties, Turn Over Team duties, clerical work, scheduling, and surgical assisting.
• Perform non-technical equipment maintenance and help maintain equipment and work areas.
• Assess equipment needs and assist logistics personnel in maintaining adequate stocks of supplies and materials.
• Provide guidance and support to Surgical Technicians, new OR staff, students, residents, and attending physicians.
• Recognize potentially hazardous situations and take corrective action.
• Protect self and others from injury related to patient positioning and movement.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Fulfill required on-call duties, including weekends and holidays.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits are available to employees and their families, subject to position type and eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed