Surgical Technologist/FA - Surgical Services UPMC Williamsport Full-Time Days with Rotation

UPMC•Williamsport, PA

About The Position

UPMC Williamsport Surgical Services is hiring a full-time First Assist for General Surgery. The role participates in an expanded perioperative First Assisting capacity under a physician’s direction. Duties may include helping prepare the operating room and patients, transporting patients for surgery, passing instruments and supplies, assisting with wound closure, holding retractors, cutting sutures, and helping count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments. The position is 40 hours per week, with day shifts and rotation, including a limited weekend and holiday rotation. The position is eligible for a sign-on bonus. The Surgical Technologist/First Assistant provides competent, ethical care within applicable legal standards and maintains required regulatory, credentialing, and privileging requirements. The role assists the surgeon during procedures, including patient positioning, preparation, and draping; providing hemostasis as directed; and identifying and managing suture needs. It requires knowledge of surgical anatomy, physiology, operative techniques, physician preferences, and procedural steps. The First Assistant also advocates for patients, protects privacy and confidentiality, and serves as an educator, mentor, consultant, and resource to colleagues and other healthcare professionals regarding STFA activities and robotic surgery.

Requirements

One year of experience required.
Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) certification required.
Completion of an STFA program and certification required within two years, except for current STFAs with ten years of operating room experience and five years of First Assist experience who have competencies checked off by a surgeon every two years.
Basic Life Support (BLS) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting clearance with renewal.
Act 33 clearance with renewal.
Act 34 clearance with renewal.
Act 73 FBI clearance with renewal.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in Surgical Technology preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide competent and ethical care within legal standards of practice applicable to the STFA.
Maintain regulatory, credentialing, and privileging requirements.
Assume responsibility for personal development and education.
Follow organizational and departmental policies and procedures.
Incorporate leading and evidence-based practices in quality and safety into daily work; identify unsafe or inefficient processes, avoid shortcuts, encourage patient and family involvement in safety, speak up about quality and safety, and report serious events or incidents according to policy.
Assist the surgeon during operating room procedures.
Position, prepare, and drape the patient.
Provide hemostasis as directed by the surgeon, including safe use of electrocautery, clamping and ligating vessels, and coagulating bleeding points.
Identify suture needs and demonstrate appropriate suture management.
Apply knowledge of surgical anatomy, physiology, and operative technique; identify physician preferences and procedural steps.
Act as a patient advocate and maintain privacy and confidentiality.
Serve as an educator, mentor, consultant, and resource to colleagues and other healthcare professionals regarding STFA activities and robotic surgery.
Help set up the operating room, prepare and transport patients, pass instruments and supplies, assist with wound closure, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.