Surgical Technologist

Independence Health System Careers•Greensburg, PA

29d•Onsite

About The Position

The Surgical Technologist I assist with surgical procedures in the Operating Room as a scrub member of the surgical team under the direction of a registered nurse and a surgeon. This role involves delivering direct and indirect patient care in accordance with hospital/departmental policies, procedures, protocols, and other professional standards of care. The Surgical Technologist works directly with the RN to develop and implement an individualized, age-specific plan of care and evaluate its effectiveness, assisting the RN in reassessment of the patient's condition and taking appropriate action. They involve the patient/family and other health care providers when appropriate, and complete patient care related activities within schedule time periods. Documentation on the O.R. Count Sheet and Surgical Site Identification/Verification Checklist is crucial for completeness, accuracy, and timeliness. The role requires maintaining a collaborative relationship with physicians and other health care providers to achieve desired patient outcomes and assure a continuous flow of patient care, communicating pertinent information for interdisciplinary patient care conferences and shift reports. Participation in performance improvement activities, data collection, and recommending modifications for enhanced quality of patient care and customer services is expected. The Surgical Technologist also assists in maintaining/decreasing organizational/department costs and ensuring the department's compliance with State, JCAHO, OSHA, and other regulatory agencies, participating in preparation for continuous survey readiness. Adherence to the infection control process, including universal precautions, is essential to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections. Patient safety is paramount, utilizing two forms of patient identification before implementing any form of patient care. The role assumes appropriate code team roles during code situations and functions as the scrub member of the surgical team, obtaining necessary instruments and supplies from Central Service. Duties may include performing as a central service technician as necessary or assigned, arranging sterile setups, updating physician preference cards, assisting in moving, lifting, and positioning patients, identifying the correct surgical procedure and site, assisting the surgeon, handling specimens appropriately, performing OR counts accurately, adapting to changing needs of the surgical team, assisting with cleaning and setting up surgical cases, and following principles of asepsis.

Requirements

Successful completion of a surgical technology program.
Up to one (1) year experience as a surgical technologist.
Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program (can acquire within six (6) months of hire or transfer in unit)
Act 33 with renewal
Act 34 with renewal
Act 73 FBI Clearance

Nice To Haves

One (1) + years surgical scrub experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Delivers direct and indirect patient care in accordance with hospital/departmental policies, procedures, protocols and other professional standards of care.
Works directly with the RN to develop and implement an individualized, age-specific plan of care and evaluate its effectiveness.
Assists the RN in reassessment of the patient's condition and takes appropriate action as indicated or by unit specific policy.
Involve the patient/family and other health care providers when appropriate.
Completes patient care related activities within schedule time periods.
Complies with completeness, accuracy and timeliness of documentation on O.R. Count Sheet as well as Surgical Site Identification/Verification Checklist.
Maintains a collaborative relationship with physicians and other health care providers to achieve desired patient outcomes and assure a continuous flow of patient care.
Communicates pertinent information for interdisciplinary patient care conferences, shift reports.
Reports changes in the OR schedule, including the need to reassess the needs of the physicians or the OR staff, confer with the OR CNC when there is a need to alert the physician.
Participate in the performance improvement activities designed to enhance the quality of patient care and customer services.
Assists in data collection process as requested.
Recommend modifications for performance improvement.
Demonstrates leadership abilities by utilizing the concepts inherent to the practice of the credo standards.
Demonstrates an ability to solve problems independently and seeks assistance from immediate supervisor when appropriate.
Maintains accountability for actions taken.
Effectively functions as a resource person.
Acts as a patient advocate.
Performs effectively in the role of preceptor/mentor to new hires and/or students.
Assists in maintaining/decreasing organizational/department costs.
Assists in the department's compliance with State, JCAHO, OSHA and other regulatory agencies.
Participates in preparation for continuous survey readiness for inspections and surveys.
Adheres to the infection control process, including universal precautions, to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections.
Provides for patient safety in compliance with hospital and nursing department policies.
Utilizes two forms of patient identification before implementing any form of patient care.
Assumes appropriate code team role during code situations, including internal and external.
Functions as the scrub member of the surgical team.
Obtains necessary instruments and supplies from Central Service.
Performs duties/responsibilities as a central service technician as necessary or assigned.
Arranges sterile setup for each specific operative procedure coordinating with surgeon preference.
Updates physician preference cards.
Assists in moving, lifting and positioning the patient.
Identifies patient appropriate surgical procedure and site by following policy for the surgical site ID.
Assists the surgeon in performing the surgical procedure.
Handles specimens appropriately.
Performs OR counts accurately and takes appropriate action in response to incorrect counts.
Maintains the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the surgical team.
Assists with the cleaning and setting up of surgical cases.
Follows the principles of asepsis, reporting any breaks in aseptic technique and rectifying the situation.
Other duties as assigned.