Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) - Reid Health

Job Title:  Surgical Technologist

Department:  Reid Outpatient Surgery and Endoscopy

Location:  Reid Health main campus. Second floor

Reports To:  Inpatient and Outpatient Clinical Coordinator/ ROSE Clinical Director

FLSA:  Non-exempt, Full-time

Reviewed By: Jaime Shuler and Mellissa Stephens

Reviewed Date: September 2021

General Summary

The Surgical Technologist in the first scrub role handles the instruments, supplies, and equipment necessary during the surgical procedures. He/she has an understanding of the procedure being performed and anticipates the needs of the surgeon. He/she has the necessary knowledge and ability to ensure quality patient care during the operative procedure and is constantly on vigil for maintenance of the sterile field. In the second scrub role, he/she assists the surgeon and/or surgical assistant during the operative procedures by carrying out tasks including sponging, suctioning, cutting suture, holding retractors, and manipulating the endoscopic camera.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Promote Mission Statement and C.A.R.E principles of organization.
2. Preoperative Duties as follows:

• Gather, check, and open supplies and equipment needed for the surgical procedure.
• Set up the sterile back table and Mayo stand with instruments, supplies, equipment, and medications/solutions needed for the procedure.
• Perform initial instrument, sharps and sponge counts with the circulator.
• Assist with draping the patient and establishing the sterile field.
• Participate in the surgical site and patient verification during the time out procedure.
• Secure tubing, cords, and other sterile accessories.

3.  Intraoperative Duties as follows:

• Prepare and anticipate additional instrumentation, equipment and supplies for usage during the procedure.
• Anticipate the needs of the surgeon by passing instruments and supplies to surgeon during procedure.
• Measure and pass medications, hemostatic agents and irrigation solutions utilized during the surgical procedure.
• Hold retractors or instruments as directed by the surgeon.
• Sponge or suction the operative site.
• Apply electrocautery to clamps or forceps on bleeders.
• Cut suture material as directed by the surgeon.
• Coordinate the camera or changes out robotic arms/instruments during endoscopic surgery as directed by the surgeon.
• Maintain highest standard of sterile technique during the procedure.
• Perform additional counts as necessary.
• Prepare sterile dressings and/or immobilization devices.
• Prepare and passes off specimen(s) as appropriate.
• Clean and prepare instruments for terminal sterilization.
• Assist other members of the team with terminal cleaning of room.
• Assist in prepping the OR for the next patient.
• Participate in debriefing and quality improvement practices to ensure quality patient care.

4. Additional Duties for Surgical Technologist assisting in circulating:

• Obtain additional instruments, supplies, and equipment necessary while the surgical procedure is in progress.
• Monitor conditions in the operating room and constantly asses the needs of the patient and surgical team.
• Assist with transferring patient to the operating room table.
• Monitor the comfort of the patient and provides verbal and tactile reassurance to the patient.
• Assist in maintaining normothermia.
• Assist the anesthesia provider.
• Assist with the positioning the patient, using appropriates equipment and anatomical principles to avoid patient injury.
• Apply the electrosurgical grounding pad.
• Assist with applying tourniquets and monitors before the procedure begins.
• Complete the patient skin prep prior to draping by the sterile procedure begins.
• Anticipate additional supplies needed during the procedure.
• Properly cares for specimens.
• Secure dressing after incision closure.
• Perform urinary catherization.
• Update and keeps accurate records of the surgeon’s preference.

1. Responsible to stay self-informed of and support Policies and Procedures, Standards of Care, and Standards of Practice.
2. Maintain work operations by following policies and procedures, Standards of Care, and Standards of Practice.
3. Complete Healthstream requirements as assigned.
4. Maintain annual competencies, licensure, and/or certifications and continuing education.

Qualifications

Successful completion of ROSE and Reid Health orientation and competency based skills appropriate for the area assigned. Individual performance and competency based skills are maintained through ongoing and continued professional educational offerings.

Education Required: Graduate of a Surgical Technologist program.

Experience Preferred:  Minimum of one year experience in Surgical Services

Certifications

• Basic Life Support

Other: 

• Calm, pleasant, professional demeanor is expected.
• Must have the ability to work cooperatively with all staff, physicians, and departments.
• Must be committed to Patient Experience and Patient Safety.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to instruct and comfort patients and their families, and maintain contacts with a variety of internal and external staff.
• Recognize and reinforce positive efforts of the healthcare team/co-workers.
• Address issues in a tactful and timely manner

Key Service Behavior Expectations

1. Routinely demonstrate a strong commitment to Reid Health Key Service Behavior standards by serving as a role model to others.
2. Consistently follow the behavioral standards identified in the Key Service Behavior Employee Agreement at all times.
3. Take ownership and hold co-workers accountable. Actively promote behavioral standards to others by acknowledging good performance and coaching or intervening when performance needs improvement.
4. Complete all Key Service Behavior training as required by hospital guidelines. Participate in quarterly Key Service Behavior reviews and adapt new knowledge into daily practice under the guidance of leader. Identify and make recommendation on ideas to keep the training active.
5. Make suggestions on how service can be improved.

Professional Behaviors & Expectations

1. Demonstrate ability to connect on a human level, at a minimum making eye contact with and greeting patients, families, visitors, and staff.
2. Show courteous interactions, including correct voice inflection and positive body language.
3. Demonstrate empathy by acknowledging and validating patients’ situation or experience.
4. Appropriately uses therapeutic touch to calm and comfort.
5. Demonstrate cheerful demeanor by smiling or other non-verbal communication, not complaining and displaying a positive attitude.
6. Willing to work hard; offers to help others when own work completed. Sensitive to needs and workload of entire unit/department.
7. Show willingness to take ownership; uses “I” or “we” rather than “they” or “them.” Blame is not directed at others.
8. Demonstrate compassion by ability to “walk in other peoples shoes”- to get to their level, to understand where they are and what they are feeling, and help them get to where they want to be.
9. Support team by recognizing and celebrating successes and failures, giving credit publicly, actively participating in team activities, treating co-workers with respect and dignity.
10. Always consider safety first when making decisions.
11. Promote and support Reid Health services, Regional Market Strategies to achieve “LEAN” deployment strategies.
12. Volunteer and actively participate in Unit Practice Councils, unit/department meetings, unit updates, Kaizens, unit/department QA or other committees as assigned and actively offers constructive feedback.
13. Serve as a resource and mentor to team.
14. Provide best-practice by following hospital standards of care, policies and procedures, and regulatory requirements.

Teamwork

1. Objectively work to resolve team conflict in a professional manner and offer to help others.
2. Accept and offer team direction.
3. Open to constructive feedback.
4. Remain flexible with alterations in work assignments.
5. Actively support unit goals, strategic plans and participates in hospital initiatives.
6. Respond to unit needs through flexibility with schedule and covering shift shortages.
7. Proactively look for ways to decrease the stress of self and team.
8. Contribute to an environment that is conducive to the clinical education of nursing students, other healthcare students and other employees as appropriate.
9. Share knowledge with co-workers.
10. Collaborate with team and management to develop cost-effective solutions and improve workflow processes.
11. “Commitment to My Co-Workers’” agreement signed.

Relationship Based Care

1. Build trust with customers/patients as evidence by: Introducing self, actively listening, displaying positive body language, explaining procedures and providing frequent updates.
2. Anticipate the needs of customers and responds to questions, concerns, and needs in a timely manner.
3. Involve customer in decision-making and care planning.
4. Promote a healing and supportive environment which may include; therapeutic touch/massage, music therapy, aromatherapy, quiet environment, eliminating offensive odors, soothing room environment (temperature, cleanliness, etc.)
5. C.A.R.E. principles (Courtesy, Attitude, Respect, and Enthusiasm) demonstrated.
6. Communicate in a constructive and professional manner in all interactions.
7. Create WOW experiences.
8. Accommodate the cultural, spiritual, and emotional needs of customers.
9. Approach customers when they appear to be dissatisfied or in needs of other assistance and immediately facilitate service recovery efforts.
10. Comply with all elements of HCAHPS to support LEAN goals, including:

1. Likelihood to recommend.
2. Treat patient with dignity and respect.
3. Listen carefully to patient.
4. Explain in a way patient understands.
5. Respond to call lights if walking through clinical units.
6. Support methods to keep noise at a minimum.
7. Describe medication side effects.  

Unit Quality Standards

Will maintain focus on personal and departmental measures to:

1. Keep worked hours within productive range.
2. Keep supply costs within budget.
3. Achieve desired patient satisfaction results.
4. Achieve desire unit-based quality indicators.

Work Environment

1. Normal patient care environment which requires continuous concentration and attention to detail.
2. Must be able to work in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
3. Potential exposure to communicable diseases and moderately adverse working conditions.
4. Possibility of radiation exposure, care is taken to protect self when needed.

Overtime: Yes, if the need arises.

Work on Holidays:  Yes, in a rotation.

Work on Weekends: Yes, if the need arises.

Work on Different Shifts:  Yes, if the need arises.

On-Call:  Yes

Travel:  Yes, if the need arises

Physical Requirements

Lifting/Carrying:  Up to 35 lbs., 50% of shift or more 

Pushing/Pulling:  Up to 35 lbs., 50% of shift or more

Standing/ Walking:  50% of shift or more

Sitting: 50% of shift or less

Hearing: Must have normal hearing (aids permitted) to perform duties of the position

Vision: Must have 20/20 vision (glasses or contacts permitted)

Dexterity: fine and gross motor coordination

This job description is intended to describe the general duties considered necessary to describe the principle functions of the position as identified and shall not be considered as a detailed description of all work requirements that may be inherent in the position.  Management has the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to the job at any time.