Surgical Technologist (First Assist), CVOR (Sign-On Offered)

Performs "scrub" and first assistant duties for scheduled surgeries, assist with the draping, and utilization of instruments for a particular surgery. Also knowledgeable in the principles of sterile technique and sterilization procedures.

Education:

High school graduate or equivalent required.

Licensure/Certification/Registry:

• Certification as a surgical technologist is preferred.
• BLS CPR required.

Experience:

• Minimum of one year experience as a cardiothoracic senior surgical technologist or equivalent experience required.
• Demonstrated ability to consistently exceed above average performance requirements of cardiothoracic senior surgical technologist through prior experience in that role.

Other Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Exhibits excellent interpersonal skills.
• Is flexible in response to change.
• Environmental working conditions include exposure to blood, bodily fluids and tissue, contagious diseases and/or radioactive or other potentially hazardous materials.

1. Expertise

• Maintains a sound knowledge base of current trends and developments in cardiovascular practice in order to lead department-based changes to improve patient care delivery.
• Ensures staff knowledge regarding new equipment, trends, research, etc.
• Demonstrates ability and willingness to collaborate with physicians, peers and staff.
• Demonstrates passion for excellence in every aspect of work.
• Shows commitment to the development of intra-departmental and inter-departmental collaboration for improvement of patient care, department efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develops working relationships with the medical staff that encourage problem solving on all levels.
• Serves as a lead contact person and technical resource for the CVOR.
• Develops and communicates procedural changes to staff and follows-up to ensure compliance with procedures and regulations.
• Develops and Coordinates workflow, training, and work measurement methods and procedures for CVOR support specialists.
• Identifies individuals and opportunities for special projects, job enrichment, and/or overall development and makes recommendations to management.
• Identifies potentially hazardous materials, equipment, chemicals, environment, and/or situations and promptly secures the necessary resources to ensure safety.
• Performs all duties and responsibilities of any position within the CVOR as required particularly during staff shortages or as other business needs dictate.
• Develops and executes a daily work plan for the unit and reports results to charge nurse/management.
• Receives and prioritizes work in the unit and makes work distribution assignments based on available staff and resources.
• Maintains the instrumentation inventory and instrumentation/sterilization information in T-DOC for CVOR.
• Assists in monitoring and evaluating the data related to maintaining standards of performance within the department.
• Coordinates instrument and equipment inventory with new surgeons and when other changes occur.
• Plans, develops, implements, and evaluates orientation and educational programs, training, and quality improvement for CVOR Support staff, Scrub techs and First Assistants.
• Oversees the organization and maintenance of all instrumentation and equipment to assure that adequate supply levels are maintained and recorded.
• Performs cardiothoracic, vascular and general surgical-technologist duties utilizing the perioperative patient care delivery process.
• Demonstrates knowledge necessary to provide instruments, supplies, equipment appropriate to patient age, type, and individual needs of the cardiothoracic, vascular or general surgery patient served.
• Serves as a resource to unit colleagues in the application of patient care. Assists in the development and implementation of patient-care procedure changes. Demonstrates ability to provide highly skilled assistance in all cardiothoracic procedures.
• Approximates Tissue and Closes Layers.
• Approximates tissue carefully by using tissue forceps to facilitate suturing or stapling.
• Approximates tissue layers correctly.
• Demonstrates knowledge of different types of closure.
• Demonstrates skill with skin stapling devices.
• Demonstrates efficiency in time and motion.
• Post-OP Care
• Cleans operative site.
• Applies surgical dressing (casts, splints, immobilizers).
• Assists in the safe transfer of the patient to the post op bed.

• Initiates appropriate intraoperative behaviors unique to first assistant:
• Provides hemostasis to reduce potential for post-operative infection and potential for fluid-volume deficit by clamping and/or ligating vessels, using electrosurgical cautery, applying direct pressure, applying chemical agents that promote coagulation, and other means as directed by surgeon.
• Provides exposure of the operative site through the appropriate use of retractors and other instruments and through suctioning and sponging.
• Uses surgical instrumentation skillfully in ways consistent with their design and purpose as directed by the surgeon.
• Handles all varieties of tissue appropriately to reduce potential for injury or compromised blood supply.
• Sutures skillfully all varieties of tissue with the appropriate suture, materials and suturing techniques.
• Interacts with perfusion in getting patient and supplies ready for bypass. Able to assist surgeon with cannulation.
• Coordinates the surgical team in appropriate draping technique for assigned procedures.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of surgical anatomy.
• Uses appropriate interpersonal skills.
• Consistently acts and communicates in a professional manner that enhances patient/employee/physician satisfaction. Consistently responds constructively to difficult situations and/or conflict. Promotes team effectiveness.
• Assists colleagues in the development of professional communication patterns on the unit. Role models constructive verbal and non-verbal feedback to colleagues and builds cohesiveness within the department.

1. Commitment to the Profession

• Demonstrates awareness of unit and organizational policies that affect healthcare delivery and practice issues.
• Demonstrates awareness of and utilizes departmental and nursing division policies in daily practice.
• Participates in unit policy development or revisions.
• Contributes to the continuing education of self and others.
• Develops and implements a plan to meet identified learning needs. Shares knowledge with peers.
• Assists others to develop and implement plans to meet identified learning needs; i.e., precepting.

1. Autonomy

• Promotes effective and efficient functioning within the department.
• Demonstrates creativity, flexibility, effective problem-solving techniques. Identifies and refers atypical/complex problems to appropriate persons in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates creativity, flexibility and effective resolution of atypical/complex problems and informs appropriate persons in a timely manner.
• Enthusiastically supports and participates in change.
• Verbally and non-verbally demonstrates a willingness to participate in organizational change. Seeks additional information to clarify perception regarding the changes and offers constructive feedback.
• Identifies a need for constructive change within the unit. Identifies appropriate resources and assists with the development of a plan to accomplish the change.

1. Responsibility to society

• Consistently utilizes time and resources.
• Appropriately utilizes time and resources (equipment, supplies, personnel, etc.) to minimize cost of patient services. Integrates quality improvement (QI) concepts in daily practice.
• Guides unit staff in appropriate utilization of time and resources. Consistently provides input for QI project.
• Maintains safety and security in the environment for patient, self, and others.
• Demonstrates compliance with the safety principles necessary to avoid/prevent injury to self/others.
• Recognizes and reports patterns of unhealthy or unsafe conditions or practices on the unit. Participates in the identification of problematic issues and contributes to problem resolution.

1. Performs other related work as required or requested.