Certified Surgical First Assist

About the role

As a Certified Surgical First Assist, at the direction of a surgeon, this position assists in performing surgical procedures and performs intraoperative technical functions. In addition, this position performs preoperative and postoperative duties to facilitate patient care.

Banner Thunderbird Medical Center (BTMC) and Banner Children’s Hospital at Thunderbird provide a preferred destination for surgical, oncological, cardiovascular, neuroscience, orthopedic, pediatric, and women and infant services achieved through best-in-class 5-star CMS rating to provide patients with high quality, safe care for the best possible experience.

Responsibilities

• Provides surgical assistance to surgeon for perioperative patient cases.
• Prepares for surgical procedures.
• Pulls appropriate instruments and supplies and ensures good working order of instruments.
• Reviews case carts for correct instruments and supplies.
• Troubleshoots malfunctioning equipment and makes minor adjustments or calls biomedical equipment staff.
• Checks schedule and plans ahead for upcoming surgical case needs.
• Anticipates the surgeon's needs.
• Assists in maintaining hemostasis, passes instruments, retracts tissue, use and application of appropriate surgical instruments, placement of ties and suture ligatures, or any other measures as directed by surgeon.
• Contributes to excellent patient outcomes through timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and safe care.
• Demonstrates the principles of aseptic technique and universal precautions throughout the procedure.
• Disposes of sharps and trash and places used supplies into case cart for processing.
• Participates in counting sharps, instruments and sponges.
• Prepares instruments for cleaning following each case.
• Assists with the plan of care under the direction of a physician.
• Provides care based on physician orders in compliance with policies and procedures, standards of care, and regulatory agency requirements.
• Performs all functions according to established policies, procedures, regulatory and accreditation requirements, as well as applicable professional standards.
• Provides all customers with an excellent service experience by consistently demonstrating our core and leader behaviors each and every day.
• Serves as a First Assistant to a Surgeon in the operating room.
• Follows safety procedures in regard to medication labeling, appropriate handling of specimens, appropriate handling of sharps, time-out procedure, radiation and laser safety, infection control, assembling and disassembling instruments.

Requirements

• High school diploma/GED or equivalent working knowledge.
• Current basic life support certification.
• Current certification as a surgical technologist.
• Where applicable must be registered with State Regulatory Agency.
• 2 or more years of operating room experience.
• Ability to scrub proficiently on a minimum of 2 surgical specialties.
• Manual dexterity and the ability to maintain professional decorum in highly stressful emergent situations.
• Ability to be conscientious, organized, and orderly.
• Ability to respond quickly to the needs of the surgeon and patient within the scope of practice.
• Must stay abreast of new developments in the field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited school of surgical technology.
• First Assistant Certification.
• Additional related education and/or experience.