Senior Surgical Technologist

Sanford Health•Eau Claire, WI

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. This position demonstrates an integral part of the team of medical practitioners providing surgical care to patients. The role provides leadership and daily oversight to staff within the service area, acting as a point of contact and expert resource for questions and troubleshooting workflow issues. The Surgical Technologist will assist as needed when management is absent and assists in the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care that meets the mission and goals of quality care and service excellence at Sanford. This care will be delivered in accordance with established standards of performance. The technologist works under the supervision and delegation authority of a surgeon to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures, ensuring a safe operating room environment, proper equipment function, and optimal patient safety during procedures. Key responsibilities include accurately accounting for items used, maintaining an organized sterile field, demonstrating expert knowledge in asepsis and sterile technique, and understanding human anatomy, surgical procedures, and the use of tools and technologies. The role actively participates in safety measures, prepares the surgical environment, ensures sterile supplies and devices are ready, and manages patient preparation including washing, clipping, transporting, positioning, and ensuring aseptic incision sites. Minor adjustments to instruments to prevent malfunctions and maintain operating condition are also part of the role. Quality assurance checks for sterile and unsterile supplies are conducted according to sterilization principles before procedures, and completeness of items returned from the surgical site is verified. Participation in reconciliation activities is expected. The position requires positive interpersonal relationships, well-developed critical thinking skills, the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, and adaptability to changing duties with minimal notice. Additional administrative duties for case preparation may be required. The role provides services for patients during surgical procedures and assists in the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care. Positive interpersonal relationships, effective communication, and critical thinking skills are utilized in educating and evaluating colleagues and assisting management in meeting the needs of the surgery department.

Requirements

Graduate from approved school for Surgical Technology.
Minimum two years of surgical technologist experience required.
Basic Life Support (BLS) required within first 60 days of employment into position.
Completes required annual continuing education units (CEU) and competency training requirements of the department and facility.
Obtains and subsequently maintains required department specific competencies and certifications.
If working in North Dakota, must be on the North Dakota Board of Nursing Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) Registry at the time employment begins.

Nice To Haves

National certification as a Surgical Technologist preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and daily oversight to staff within service area.
Act as a point of contact and expert resource for questions and troubleshooting workflow issues that may arise for the during shifts.
Assist as needed when management is absent to provide assistance.
Assist in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care that meets the mission and goals of quality care and service excellence at Sanford.
Assist with assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating, or documenting the care of patients.
Work under the supervision and delegation authority of a surgeon to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures.
Ensure that the operating room environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety.
Accurately account for items used during a procedure and maintain an organized sterile field.
Demonstrate expert knowledge in the theory and application of the principles of asepsis and sterile technique.
Combine the knowledge of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and implementation and tools and technologies to facilitate a provider's performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.
Actively participate in safety measures, maintain an organized sterile field, as well as maintain awareness of the location of all supplies needed for the course of the procedure.
Prepare the surgical environment before procedures; ensuring that supplies and dedicated devices are sterile and ready for surgery, as well as washing, clipping, transporting, positioning, and ensuring aseptic incisions sites.
Assist in the preparation of patients prior to procedures.
Make minor adjustments to avoid instrument malfunctions and keeping them in operating condition.
Conduct sterile and unsterile supply quality assurance checks are according to sterilization principles before procedure.
Verify the completeness of items when returned from the surgical site.
Participate in reconciliation activities.
Demonstrate positive interpersonal relationships and well-developed critical thinking skills.
Work in a fast-paced environment and adjust to changes in duties with minimal notice, as the schedule requires.
Assist with additional administration duties as needed for case preparation of patients.
Provide services for patients during surgical procedures.
Utilize positive interpersonal relationships, well developed and effective communication skills and critical thinking skills in educating and evaluating colleagues and assisting management in meeting the needs of the surgery department.