Surgical Technologist - Labor and Delivery

About the role

Join our team at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and experience world-class healthcare at its best. As a Surgical Technologist, sometimes called a “scrub tech,” you will assist in surgical procedures under the supervision of surgeons and registered nurses, ensuring quality patient care during operative procedures and maintaining a sterile field. This role specifically supports the Labor and Delivery team through assisting in deliveries as well as C-section deliveries, with potential floating to post-partum. This is a hands-on learning opportunity that will help you advance your skill set and potentially move into other roles within Cleveland Clinic.

A PRN caregiver in this position works varying nights from 6:45 PM – 7:15 AM, with weekend requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide quality, individualized patient care in the perioperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases.
• Follow guidelines for perioperative practices as established by AORN.
• Maintain the sterile field.
• Review daily assignments and ascertain surgeon-specific preferences and anesthesia.
• Identify and prioritize individual patient care needs, taking into consideration age, physiological, cultural, and physical status.
• Plan care based on the contemplated procedure, standards of practice, admission assessment, and MD preferences.
• Assemble, check, and open sterile packs, sutures, and more.
• Practice and assist others in maintaining aseptic technique and report and/or correct any breaks.
• Comply with required standards for patient positioning, skin preparation, counting, and side-site verification.
• Remain with the sterile setup to assure maintenance of the sterile field.
• Assist with draping the sterile field.
• Prepare/edit surgeon's preference lists.
• Communicate pertinent information during procedures and during personnel changes, including the status of the surgical procedure.
• Collect specimens as directed by the surgeon and identify the origin of each specimen to the RN Circulator.
• Assist surgeons and assistants with retraction and suction as directed.
• Assure that all biohazard material is handled and disposed of properly using universal precautions.
• Keep accurate counts of all sutures, sharps, soft goods, and instruments.
• Assist RN Circulator to ensure proper room utilization through decreased turnover time per CPT and scheduled procedural time review.
• Assure that all instrumentation is returned to decontamination with proper documentation count sheets.

Requirements

• Graduate of a Surgical Technology Program accredited through the CAAHEP or ABHES OR completion of a military surgical technology program OR certification as a Surgical Technologist (acceptable certifications for this route are TS-C through the National Center for Competency Training or CST through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting).
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Surgical Technologist.
• Two years of experience in a multi-disciplined OR in an acute care hospital setting.

Physical Requirements

• Workload is heavy and requires constant lifting, moving of patients, equipment, instrument trays, and supplies.
• Able to lift items up to 50 pounds without assistance and greater than 50 pounds with assistance.
• Stooping, pushing, and pulling required when moving patients or equipment into position for surgery.
• Ability to work at a fast pace and prioritize multiple assignments/projects.
• Ability to resolve conflicts among staff and work collaboratively with department directors, physicians, and other members of the healthcare team.
• Ability to ensure operational efficiency, problem-solve, and make decisions.
• Ability to exercise self-control and tolerate stress when dealing with multiple requests and/or conflicting demands.
• Needs minimal sustained direction in assessing workload, directing staff, and carrying out departmental and professional responsibilities; self-starting and self-motivating.
• Working hours may exceed eight (8) hours per day and are based on what is needed to accomplish completion of the daily surgical schedule.

Personal Protective Equipment

Follows Standard Precautions using personal protective equipment as required for procedures.