Surgical Technician, Department of Operating Room

Overview

Under the direct supervision of a professional nurse or other medical professional performs nursing procedures of a sub-professional nature, as a member of a surgical team relating to care of the patients entering the operating room for surgery and relating to technical activities in specialty suites and special procedure areas apart from operating suite, and the delivery of post operative nursing care to patients. Assists in nursing care activities under direction of the Registered Nurse.

Responsibilities

- Provides nursing care to patient entering operating room suites; making patient comfortable and safeguards from exposure and accidents and/or performs technical activities in specialty suites and specialty areas apart from operating suites.

- Verifies patient’s identity and checks contents of the chart for pertinent information (e.g.; proper consents, attendance by clergy, administration of pre-operative medication, unusual signs such as colds, temperatures, tremors, etc.) when patient is brought to the operating room.

- Prepares for intravenous infusions, transfusion and other prescribed procedures for the patient including assistance in the administration of anesthesia.

- Prepares operating room for surgery, inspects and tests equipment, selects instruments and replenishes supplies and assists with sterilization of instruments and other materials as required.

- Transports patient to and from operating or procedure table, restrains and assists on positioning patient and exposure of operative area.

- Assists scrub nurse, physicians and anesthetists and engages in scrubbing including procedures requiring sterile techniques preparatory, during and after surgery.

- Assists surgeon throughout the operative procedures including passing and wiping instruments, preparing sutures, etc., including maintenance of accurate account of instruments, needles, sponges, laporotomy pads and rings.

- Collects patient’s charts, X-rays and equipment and assists with transfer of patient to assigned unit.

- Cares for specimens, cultures, amputated parts, instruments, needles and equipment and maintains asepsis. Assists with the cleaning of the operating room and replenishment of supplies.

- May perform functions and activities of the basic Nurse’s Aide in support of the above tasks.

- Enter data and updates various databases on the O.R. computer system.

Qualifications

1. One (1) year of satisfactory experience in as described in “Major Duties” in a hospital, health care or medical facility.

2. One (1) year of satisfactory experience in providing non-professional nursing or medical support services in a hospital, health care or medical facility and satisfactory completion of prescribed course in an approved training program as a surgical or operating room technician.

3. Ability to establish successful interpersonal relationships with patient and co-worker.

4. Know ledge of practices and techniques in sub-professional nursing work in an operating room.

5. Good manual dexterity.

- Completion of an operating room/surgical technologist course and comprehensive orientation.

- Certification by the Association of a Surgical Technologist Inc. 

- High School or GED

- operating room/surgical technologist course

Computer/Equipment skills:

- Laser Surgery equipment

- Nitrogen and electricity powered surgical hand tools

- Operating Microscope

- Video equipment and related hardware

- Elector surgical units for operating homeostasis

- Multiple instrument types which vary by surgical section

- Micro and specialty instruments

- Surgical operating systems for case such as Total Joint Arthroplasty or Spinal Rod-ding