Surgical Technologist, Labor and Delivery

Northside Hospital•Cumming, GA

About The Position

The Surgical Technologist handles the instruments, supplies, and equipment needed during surgical procedures and provides technical assistance and support to medical and surgical staff before, during, and after procedures. The role helps ensure patient safety and quality of care, supports multiple surgical service lines, and may involve patients ranging from neonates to geriatric adults. In Labor and Delivery, the position provides patient care activities for patients in labor and newborns; assists physicians and nurses during vaginal deliveries; and performs surgical technologist duties for procedures including cesarean deliveries, tubal ligations, and hysterectomies. The role also supports operating-room turnover, transports patients and newborns, and helps maintain a clean, orderly, and safe environment.

Requirements

High school diploma, equivalent education (GED), or post-secondary education.
American Heart Association Basic Cardiac Life Support (BLS).
Graduate of an accredited surgical technology program and one year of experience working as a Surgical Technologist; or three years of full-time employment within the last seven years in an Operating Room setting working as a Surgical Technologist.
Visual color acuity screening may be required depending on the role in specific units.

Nice To Haves

Certification as a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), or Technologist in Surgery-Certified (TS-C) through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).

Responsibilities

Provide care and service to patients undergoing surgical intervention without regard to age, race, or gender.
Assist the surgical team before, during, and after procedures.
Review supplies and equipment, set up surgical equipment, prepare patients for surgery, position patients, complete surgical skin preps, and drape the sterile field.
Maintain sterile techniques, recognize breaks in technique, and take steps to regain sterility.
Organize and pass instruments, supplies, equipment, medication, and solutions.
Ensure proper management of surgical specimens and perform surgical counts with the circulating nurse.
Serve in the first- or second-scrub role as needed.
Clean operating rooms in preparation for subsequent procedures and transport patients, specimens, clean equipment, and soiled equipment and supplies as necessary.
Follow hospital and departmental safety policies and procedures; promptly report equipment malfunctions, unsafe conditions, and injuries or accidents to a supervisor.
When assigned as Expeditor, complete case carts with required supplies and instruments at least 30 minutes before the next scheduled case; obtain instruments needed for subsequent cases and deliver them for cleaning and sterilizing; and deliver dirty carts and instruments to the appropriate soiled holding area.
When assigned as Expeditor, return unused clean supplies to the appropriate area, retrieve extra supplies and equipment, facilitate preference-card changes, ensure supplies and equipment are available, assist with room setup, support rapid case turnover under OR leadership, and return unnecessary equipment to designated storage.
Perform labor-and-delivery patient care activities, including obtaining vital signs and urine specimens, catheterization, perineal care, surgical skin preparation, and assisting with position changes and ambulation.
Provide immediate newborn care, including drying, warming, observation, identification, measurement, eye care, and bathing.
Assemble equipment and supplies for procedures using aseptic techniques.
Assist physicians and nurses during vaginal deliveries, including preparing and monitoring patients and operating suction and other equipment.
Perform surgical technologist duties during cesarean deliveries, tubal ligations, and hysterectomies, including setting up the sterile field, passing instruments and surgical items, performing counts, and cleaning operating rooms afterward.
Transport patients and newborns to assigned rooms or the nursery.
Maintain a clean, neat, and safe environment by tidying rooms, cleaning equipment, restocking linens and supplies, preparing rooms, and keeping utility rooms, equipment rooms, and hallways orderly.
Obtain information as necessary to initiate routine admission procedures.