Surgical Technician First Assistant

Company Description

St. Joseph Healthcare, a member of Covenant Health, was founded in 1947 by the Felician Sisters with a mission to support the overall wellness and healing of a patient’s mind, body, and spirit. Located in Bangor, Maine, St. Joseph Hospital is a 112-bed acute care community hospital offering medical, surgical, orthopedic, cardiopulmonary care, laboratory services, physical and occupational therapy, a 24-hour Emergency Department, and a Skin and Wound Healing Center. St. Joseph Healthcare employs more than 800 people across 30 departments, dedicated to delivering the highest level of care with compassion, integrity, collaboration, and excellence. For more information, please visit www.stjoeshealing.org.

Job Summary:

Per the standards of practice from the Association of Surgical Technologist: the surgical technologists/First Assistant works under the direct supervision of a surgeon to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive surgical procedures.  The surgical technologists/first assistant is responsible for ensuring the operating room environment is safe, equipment functions properly, and the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety. The surgical technologist/first assistant handles the instruments, supplies and equipment necessary during the surgical procedure.  The technologist/first assistant has an advanced understanding of the procedure being performed and anticipates the needs of the surgeon.  Duties of the technologist/first assistant include: able to function in the role as a surgical technician; understands and demonstrates the principles of safe patient positioning; provides visualization of the operative site during the operative procedure; demonstrates the appropriate techniques to assist the surgeon in providing hemostasis; demonstrates the appropriate technique to assist with the closure of body planes; expedites the operative procedure by anticipating the needs of the surgeon; demonstrates advanced knowledge of normal and pathological anatomy and physiology; demonstrates knowledge of emergency situations, demonstrates superior organizational skills and professional attitude. The surgeon must be physically present in the OR suite foot print while the assistant is scrubbed in and working at the surgical field during the surgical procedure. At any point if the surgeon leaves the OR suite footprint, the assistant must stop what they are doing and wait for the return of the surgeon. The assistant has no authority to independently direct any hospital personnel in the provision of services to patients and cannot function in the circulating nurse role. (OR Suite footprint is defined as the OR, ASU, or PACU)

Requirements

Education: Trade or Technical School (Certificate or diploma)

Certifications: CSFA Certification required, BLS is mandatory within three months

Covenant Health Mission Statement

We are a Catholic health ministry, providing healing and care for the whole person, in service to all in our communities.

Our Core Values:

•Compassion

We show respect, caring and sensitivity towards all, honoring the dignity of each person, especially the poor, vulnerable and suffering.

•Integrity

We promote justice and ethical behavior, and responsibly steward our human, financial and environmental resources.

•Collaboration

We work in partnership, dialogue and shared purpose to create healthy communities.

•Excellence

We deliver all services with the highest level of quality, while seeking creative innovation.

Applicants, employees and former employees are protected from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, and genetic information (including family medical history).