DHR Health - US:TX:Edinburg - Days

Summary:

This position provides aid under the directive of a surgeon in exposure, hemostasis, and other intraoperative technical functions that assist the surgeon in performing a safe operation with optimal results for the patient. May provide local infiltration or the topical application of a local anesthetic at the operation site. Participates in volume replacement or auto transfusion techniques as appropriate. Will assist with OR suite clean up and turn around. May harvest saphenous vein and/or radial artery open or endoscopically in open heart procedures with proper training. May perform other duties or procedures incident to the surgical procedure deemed necessary and directed by the surgeon or anesthesiologist.

POSITION EDUCATION/ QUALIFICATIONS :

• High School/GED required
• Credentialed by the ABSA, LCC-ST or NSAA as a certified first assistant/certified surgical assistant or certified surgical tech having graduated from an accredited program in route to certification with proof of eligibility to take the exam for certification.
• CST with current certification and two (2) full years of first assisting preferred.

• Current BLS certification
• Must be able to be sensitive to cultural and bilingual issues.
• Good written and verbal communication skills required.
• Ability to read, write and speak English
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely with all levels of nursing, administration, and physicians
• Prefer hospital experience
• Must be flexible with work scheduling and have the ability to be a rotating on-call schedule for the department. If called-back, must be in the hospital within 30 minutes of call team activation notice.

Responsibilities:

• Promotes the facility mission, vision and values by effectively communicating them to others. Considers mission, vision and values in developing services, standards and practice .
• Willingly assists in precepting other Certified First Assists and/or Certified Surgical Technologists or Surgical Technologist students.
• Determines specific equipment needed per surgical procedure.
• Pulls appropriate supplies in case carts for procedure.
• Reviewing permit to confirm procedure and special needs and participating in “time out.”
• Appropriately select and place diagnostic tests for reference.

• Assists with the opening of appropriate surgical supplies on back table, assists in setting-up for the procedure and runs the back table, as necessary.
• Ansures that the Certified Surgical Technologists (CST) has all necessary supplies for the surgical procedure, including implants.
• Assists in moving and positioning the patient.
• Inserts and removes of foley urinary catheter.
• Appropriately places the pneumatic tourniquet.
• Confirms the procedure with the surgeon.
• Appropriately drapes the patient within the surgeon’s guidelines.
• Provides retraction of tissues and organs for optimal visualization with regard to tissue type and appropriate retraction instrument and/or technique.
• Assists in maintaining hemostasis by direct pressure, using and applying of appropriate surgical instrument for the task, placement of ties, placement of ligatures, application of chemical hemostatic agents, or other measures as directed by the surgeon.
• Ability to utilize unipolar and bipolar electrocautery.
• Harvests saphenous vein, including skin incision, per surgeon’s directive.
• Harvests radial artery, including skin incision, per surgeon’s directive.
• Maintains the integrity of sterile field.
• Closes wound layers, (subcutaneous and skin) as per surgeon’s directive.
• Inserts drainage tubes per surgeon’s directive.
• Selects and applies wound pressure.
• Applies appropriate wound dressings to operative site.
• Assist in resuscitation of patient during cardiac arrest or other life threatening events in the operating room.
• Insertion of femoral arterial line under surgeon’s directive.
• Performing any other duties or procedures incident to the surgical procedure deemed necessary and directed by the surgeon.
• Assists with the transfer of the patient to ICU or other designated post-procedure care area.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Other information:

JOB KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE :

• Six ( 6 ) months – One ( 1 ) year continuous experience as a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST), Certified First Assistant (CFA) or Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA).
• Must have proficient organizational skills and computer skills
• Must have excellent customer service skills.
• High degree of competency/experience in general.
• Requires good communication and organizational skills.
• Requires reasoning ability and good independent judgment.

LINES OF REPSONSIBILITES :

(Chain-of-command)

1. Charge Nurse 2. Manager 3. Surgical Service Line Director

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

Provide excellent customer service to all DHR customers. All employees are required to attend the DHR C.A.R.E.S program which outlines the Customer Service Principals including: Commitment, Accountability, Respect, Excellence and Service.

AGE SPECIFIC :

Employees must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in his/her assigned unit. The individual must demonstrate knowledge of principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient’s status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient’s requirement relative to his or her age.