Surgical Technologist – First Assist

Brief Description

Responsible for the delivery of safe, effective, and quality patient-family centered care in the OR and other areas of perioperative services for all patient populations. Functions as a CSFA during operative and other invasive procedures and throughout the perioperative continuum in accordance with scope of practice credentials, privileges, experience, education, and competency verification.

Job Specific Duties And Responsibilities

• Promote the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
• Act as a patient advocate and maintain privacy and confidentiality of individuals and health information.
• Position the patient:
  • The surgeon shall convey the exact position that will give the best exposure for the surgical procedure.
  • Circulation shall not be impaired.
  • (A tourniquet may be required for some procedures.)
  • Nerve damage shall be guarded against.
  • The temperature of the patient should be discussed with the anesthesia personnel and methods employed to maintain the desired temperature range.
• Upon completion of the procedure, the patient shall be evaluated for any possible damage from positioning which will include assessment of the skin. The abnormal condition shall be reported to the surgeon and treatment and documentation shall be carried out.
• Provide visualization of the operative site:
  • Appropriate placement and securing of retractors with or without padding.
  • Packing with sponges.
  • Digital manipulation of tissue.
  • Suctioning, irrigating, or sponging.
  • Manipulation of suture materials (e.g., loops, tags, running sutures).
  • Utilizing appropriate techniques to assist with hemostasis.
  • Permanent clamping and/or cauterizing vessels or tissue, tying and/or ligating clamped vessels or tissue, applying hemostatic clips, and placing local hemostatic agents.
  • Temporary applying tourniquets and demonstrating awareness of the indications/contraindications for use with knowledge of side and effects of extended use.
  • Temporary applying vessel loops, applying non-crushing clamps, and applying direct digital pressure.
  • Participating in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques as appropriate.
  • Utilizing appropriate techniques to assist with closure of body planes.
  • Utilizing running or interrupted sutures with absorbable or nonabsorbable material of wound layers, including muscle and fascia.
  • Utilizing subcuticular closure technique with or without adhesive skin closure strips.
  • Closing skin with method per surgeon’s directive (suture, staples, etc.).
  • Selecting and applying appropriate wound dressings, including the following:
    • Liquid or spray occlusive materials.
    • Absorbent material affixed with tape or circumferential wrapping.
    • Immobilizing dressing (soft or rigid).
  • Postoperative subcutaneous injection of local anesthetic per surgeon’s directive.
  • Providing assistance in securing drainage systems to tissue.

  Other Job Requirements

  • Subject to overtime as required by the institution.

  Supervisory Responsibility

  N/A

  Education, Certification, Licenses and Registrations

  • Graduate from an accredited school of surgical technology.
  • Graduate from an accredited program in surgical assisting or another pathway acceptable to the NBSTSA and satisfactory performance on a nationally certified examination.
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.

  Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Acute care experience performing the task of a CSFA.
  • Ability to work as a team with multiple departments.
  • Basic computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Word).

  Reasoning Ability

  • Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
  • Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or schedule form.

  Interpersonal Skills

  • Must interact and communicate both verbally and in written form.
  • Must interact and exchange information regarding patients with physicians and other departmental personnel, and outside agencies on a frequent basis while respecting the confidentiality of patient information.
  • Ability to use tact and diplomacy in making recommendations, reporting errors or problems, securing information, or discussing patient treatments when dealing with physicians and staff on a frequent basis.

  Physical Demands

  • Physically demanding, high-stress environment.
  • Exposure to blood, sharps, body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, radiation, and repetitive motions.
  • Pushing and pulling heavy objects.
  • Standing and walking for extensive periods of time.
  • Lifting and carrying items weighing up to 50 lbs.

  Work Environment

  • Constantly exposed to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals and other hazardous materials, radiation, and repetitive motions.
  • Team members are offered appropriate vaccinations and safety training.

  Comments

  This description is intended to describe the essential job functions, the general supplemental functions, and the essential requirements for the performance of the job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a person so classified. Other functions may be assigned, and management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. This position is a Safety Sensitive Position. The essential functions, physical demands, and mental competencies of this job require the employee maintain the ability to work in a constant state of alertness in a safe manner.