Certified Surgical Technologist (Part Time / PRN)

Position Title: Certified Surgical Technologist

Reports to: Lead CST and OR Charge Nurse

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Position Summary

The Certified Surgical Technologists (CST) is an allied health professional integral to the team of practitioners providing surgical care to patients. CSTs work under the supervision and delegation of the surgeon and operating room nurse to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures. CSTs ensure that the operating room environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety.

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Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists in care and preparation of surgical patients.
• Prepares and organizes the operating room equipment, instruments, and supplies as required for various surgical procedures.
• Anticipates surgeon and patient needs during a procedure.
• Provides accurate care and handling of specimens.
• Prepares, checks, and monitors medications.
• Sets up a sterile, safe, and organized work environment.
• Maintains the sterile field during procedures.
• Verifies, labels, and properly handles medication in a sterile field.
• Understands decontamination and sterile processing of instruments, equipment, and supplies
• Understands washer, ultrasonic, sterilizer, and immediate use equipment operation, testing, cleaning, and use.
• Participates in orientation and education of students and all operating room staff on an ongoing basis.
• Participates in stocking and restocking medical supplies.
• Verifies and pulls all items for cases in preparation for various surgical procedures.
• Inspects, replaces, and sterilizes medical instruments.
• Provides surgeons and others participating in procedures with necessary instruments, supplies, and equipment.
• Inventories all items both pre- and post-surgery.
• Assists with surgical dressings.
• Adheres to safety standards and precautions as outlined by national, state, facility, and professional regulations.
• Performs other duties, as assigned, setting within or out of the surgical environment or operating room.

Other Responsibilities

• Utilizes correct body mechanics in moving, transporting, and positioning patients, stretchers, equipment, and/or tables to prevent injury to patient, self, and personnel.
• Demonstrates knowledge of operation and maintenance of equipment and supplies related to the operating environment.
• Assumes responsibility for learning new equipment and procedures and maintaining skills.
• Completes required orientation as directed by facility.
• Follows facility, OSHA, and AST safety rules and procedures.
• Respects cultural and religious practices of staff and patients
• Upholds HIPAA regulations.
• Participates in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement activities.
• Punctual and dependent for assigned and confirmed shifts.
• Always conducts self in a respectful and professional manner.
• Attends regular staff meetings, in-services, training, and other work-related requirements.
• Other duties as assigned or delegated.

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Essential Competencies and Performance Expectations

Competencies required for the application of the Surgery Center's core values:

Conduct that encompasses all aspects of health and safety, resource stewardship, and professionalism. The individual should demonstrate competence in performing their duties and responsibilities related to the tasks, skills, and procedures rendered to the clients being served.

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Value-Based Behaviors

• Respect and Kindness: Polite, positive, respectful, and kind attitude and behaviors
• Collaborative: Fully engaged team player
• Excellence: Performs duties competently and consistently pursues positive solutions when needed
• Honesty and Integrity: Honest, open to feedback, maintains professionalism.
• Caring and Compassionate: Treats patient and staff with respect, compassion, and empathy

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Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position is regularly required to stand, walk briskly, talk, and hear. Position requires occasional sitting, stooping, kneeling, or crouching. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Auditory abilities required by this job include ability to correctly distinguish various body sounds, i.e., respirations, heart sounds, bowel sounds and to discern sounds made by various types of machinery or equipment which would indicate dangerous or improper operation.

Requirements

Position Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited program of Surgical Technology or three (3) years of experience and/or education with demonstrated competency.
• Current ST certification from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) preferred.
• One (1) year OR experience
• Orthopedic experience, including total joints.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Health Care Provider Basic Life Support (BLS) required.
• Possesses aptitude for maintaining pace of facility patient flow.
• Must be able to read, speak, and write English fluently.
• Must be able to provide proof of identity and the right to work in the United States

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Working Conditions

This position spends a considerable amount of time walking, bending, stretching, standing, and assisting in patient transfers, so they must follow proper body mechanics to guard against injury. OR nurses may face hazards from exposure to chemicals and biological agents to include, but not limited to body fluids and wastes such as urine, blood, sputum, disinfecting and sterilizing agents and may be exposed to anesthetic gases, drugs, and radiation.

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Physical Demands

• Ability to lift twenty-five (25) pounds. Moving, lifting, or transferring patients, instruments, and equipment may involve lifting fifty (50) pounds.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Fine motor skills
• Visual and auditory acuity