Job Summary:
Under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse or physician and in accordance with the legal scope of competency and within established standards of care, policies and procedures: assists the physician during surgical procedures by performing scrub duties.
Essential Responsibilities:
- The Certified Surgical Technician demonstrates proficiency by exhibiting the following skills, competencies, and behaviors.
- Leadership:
- Upholds Kaiser Permanentes Policies and Procedures, Principles of Responsibilities and applicable state, federal and local laws.
- Demonstrates a professional, supportive attitude.
- Identifies and supports new ideas.
- Utilizes effective communication strategies, including chain of command and issue escalation, which result in intended outcomes.
- Participates in problem identification and resolution in collaboration with the Registered Nurse.
- Prioritizes work assignments appropriately to ensure completion of patient care activities and notifies Registered Nurse if unable to complete assignments.
- Complies with regulatory requirements, policies, procedures, and standards of practice.
- Nursing Process:
- Correctly identifies patient and scheduled procedure.
- Performs patient care activities, within the scope of competency, considering age-related needs of the patient as assigned. Reports unusual findings to the Registered Nurse.
- Collects data and provides information in a timely manner to the registered Nurse which may assist within the revision of the plan of care.
- Discharge barriers are discussed with the Registered Nurse and intervention taken as directed.
- Clinical Outcomes:
- Applies standard precautions; keeps a safe environment for self and others.
- Observes patient/family conditions and reports to Registered Nurse sudden changes or unusual findings.
- Demonstrates competencies during the probationary period and ongoing by completion of departmental competency validation.
- Transports patients, equipment, supplies, and specimens throughout the medical center utilizing proper body mechanics.
- Participates in departmental performance improvement activities, i.e., planning, measuring/monitoring, assessing and improving.
- Assembles and ensures all equipment/supplies/instruments are appropriate, available, calibrated, and adjusted, in working order, sterilized per protocol and organized for upcoming procedure.
- Sets up and organizes room.
- Performs scrub role (e.g., anticipates surgeons needs, pass instruments, cut sutures, hold retractors, obtain/process tissue samples) according to standard.
- Assists physician within scope of competency.
- Assists with transfer, transport, and stabilization of patient within the scope of competency.
- Cleans instruments, containers, and equipment according to established guidelines and reassembles packs, prepares for sterilization and/or returns to Central Processing.
- Operates sterilization equipment.
- Operates equipment safely and reports defective equipment upon discovery.
- Cleans, lubricates, and performs preventive maintenance.
- Utilizes computer systems effectively and efficiently.
- Customer Service:
- Practices customer service standards as defined by the Service Area, Medical Center, and specific department.
- Anticipates the customers desires, takes proactive steps to meet those needs by listening and taking responsibility within scope to ensure issues are resolved.
- Assists members who are less than satisfied with their experience by listening and taking responsibility within their scope to ensure that the issue is resolved.
- Promptly answers call lights, alarms, and patient requests.
- Under the direction of the Registered Nurse, gives patients and their significant others the information needed within their scope of competency.
- Maintains and protects patient confidentiality.
- Assures a clean, orderly and functional work environment.
- Team Commitment:
- Viewed by others to be an effective team member who is flexible, cooperative, and willing to assist others.
- Confronts difficult or conflict situations constructively and seeks appropriate assistance.
- Takes accountability for own actions and accepts constructive criticism.
- Assists others unfamiliar to the department.
- Attends all mandatory meetings and inservices, a minimum of 50% of staff meetings, and actively participates in other departmental professional development (Requirement may vary for per diem staff).
- Participates with the assessment of current and future unit learning needs and development of annual educational plan.
- Keeps self-informed of activities on the unit and makes recommendation for change.
- Adheres to Regional Attendance Policy.
- Reports to assigned area promptly, being present and available for report at beginning of assigned shift.
- Minimizes personal phone call time.
- Supports a collaborative labor-management partnership environment.
- Fiscal Responsibility:
- Organizes work to minimize the use of overtime.
- Identifies and assists in systems improvement that need simplification or correction.
- Utilizes payroll and non- payroll resources to their maximum potential.
Basic Qualifications:
Experience
- Two (2) years within the last three years operating room scrubbing or equivalent military experience, including a variety of surgical procedures.
Education
- Graduate of approved surgical technologist or military equivalent program.
License, Certification, Registration
- Surgical Technologist Certificate from National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting OR National Center for Competency Testing Certificate - Technologist in Surgery from National Center for Competency Testing
