Certified Surgical Tech First Assist - Part Time - Days

Why work for Nebraska Methodist Health System?

At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care – a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It’s helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient’s needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued! Most importantly, our employees are part of a team that makes a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

Job Summary

Location: Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital

Address: 933 E. Pierce St. - Council Bluffs, IA

Work Schedule: 20hrs/Week, Mon - Friday, Rotating Call- Weekends and Holidays

Benefits: This position is NOT eligible for full-time benefits.

Ask your recruiter/hiring manager about the following incentives that may be available for this position:

•      Shift differentials & other financial incentives
•      Tuition assistance
•      Academic sponsorship with Methodist College
  
  

Allied health professional working as a part of the team delivering surgical care by assisting physicians and maintaining a sterile field during surgical procedure through consistent application of aseptic techniques. The Surgical First Assistant performs clinical skills under the direct supervision of the surgeon and practices in collaboration with the circulating RN and other health care team members. Provides aid in exposure, hemostasis and other technical functions that will help the surgeon carry out a safe operation with optimal results for the patient. Educated in the use of surgical instruments on tissues verses the handling of instruments: the First Assist does not concurrently function as the scrub technologist.

Responsibilities

Essential Job Functions

• Performs preoperative preparation.
• Reviews physician preference list before operative procedure and assembles supplies and equipment needed for procedure.
• Opens sterile supplies using sterile technique.
• Transfers medications and solutions to the sterile field according to policy.
• Communicates clearly and collaborates with other members of the perioperative team to prepare operative procedure.
• Prepares the case cart postoperative for central sterilizing return according to department policy.
• Functions as scrub person during operative procedure by preparing, monitoring, and maintaining a sterile field.
• Completing surgical scrub according to policy.
• Performs scrub duties in an accurate, concise and timely manner.
• Wears appropriate personal protective apparel (PPA) and follows standard and policy for attire in the operating room.
• Follows policy for wearing protective eye-wear during procedures.
• Organizes and maintains sterile instruments and supplies in organized manner.
• Performs counts according to facility policy and procedure during procedure and hand-off situations.
• Accurately performs all sponge, needle, and sharps counts at appropriate times with registered nurse.
• Assisting with draping sterile field according to standard.
• Watches progress of the operation and anticipates needs of team members.
• Disassembles instruments and equipment, transports to processing department.
• Assists with cleaning room and prepares for subsequent procedure.
• Cleans operating room suite between cases and participates in turnover.
• Checks indicators and integrity of packages for each patient procedure.
• Recognizes unseen boundaries between sterile and non-sterile.
• Immediately communicates any changes in procedures, patient condition, or procedure.
• Communicates for a safe and accurate hand-off with team members to assure accuracy of critical patient care information and specimen disposition.
• Prepares and properly disposes of sharps, blood, and waste prior to leaving room according to department policy.
• Applies base knowledge and principles during operative procedure (Intraoperative Surgical).
• Base knowledge of anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, microbiology and pharmacology for optimal surgical patient care.
• Principles of computer science, electricity and robotics as needed for surgical patient care.
• Principles of sterile technique during the surgical procedure.
• Follows policy and procedure for Intraoperative Surgical procedures.
• Participates in surgical time-out, fire risk assessment, and case summary for each operative procedure.
• Identifies labels and handles specimens including hand-off situations and disposition of specimen.
• Labels medications and specimen identification and disposition.
• Demonstrates collegiality and leadership qualities.
• Demonstrates awareness of, and participation in performance improvement activities.
• Reports potential performance improvement problems, to coordinators, core nurse and service leader, assists in problem solving.
• Maintains compliance with department call requirements, adjusts hours to meet patient services.
• Eligible to seat preceptor training and serve as a mentor.
• Collaborates with specialty coordinator and Staff Development Nurse on completion of orientation processes including orientation map, core competencies and assignments.
• Documents ongoing process of orienting staff and assists in mentoring.
• Participates in orientation of team members to new equipment and supplies.
• Achieves or maintains certification in profession, Certified Surgical Technologist.
• Achieves and maintains certification in profession, Certified Surgical Technologist First Assistant.
• Provides appropriate care specific to the age of the customer/patient, to ensure understanding and comfort level of treatment as outlined in the Population Specific Criteria.
• Demonstrates ability to identify opportunities for and give individualized customer service/patient care according to customer/patient needs.
• Performance Improvement.
• Demonstrates ongoing awareness of, and participation in, performance improvement activities.
• Is alert to potential performance improvement problems, reports information to charge nurse and managers, and actively participates in problem solving.
• Conscientiously and continuously applies the principles and tools learned during PI training on a daily basis.
• Precepting.
• Conducts need assessments.
• Conducts one on one and group training.
• Is knowledgeable of equipment used in surgical procedures, reference manuals, and resources for consultation.
• Performs clinical preceptor role for specialty service and follows core competency outline.
• Collaborates with appropriate Core Coordinator, and/or Resource Coordinator regarding assignments of students and orientees and documents progress or concerns.
• Documents on core competencies, records orientees/students' progress, and suggests improvements and additional learning needs.
• Collaborates with L&D and HROB Core Coordinator specialty charge nurse on completion of core competencies for specialty service.
• Provides care and is able to provide intervention for all patient populations.
• Demonstrates proper use and care of instruments and equipment in accordance with department standard.
• Properly reports equipment malfunctions to the appropriate charge person or equipment supervisor.
• Demonstrates correct and safe technique in the use of equipment according to specific product information and department policy and procedure.
• Check for correct function of equipment prior to actual use and returns to proper location. Terminally cleans equipment properly.
• Exhibits proper use of suturing and stapling devices.
• Stocks supplies and instruments in operating room and labor and delivery as necessary.
• Demonstrates adaptability and flexibility by performing scrub duties for a variety of surgical procedures.
• Able to perform 100% of cases in specialty services.
• Maintains positive attitude.
• Accepts assignments and communicates concerns in a professional manner
• Adheres to policy and procedures of the department of patient care services and the hospital and holds others accountable for following them.
• Safety - complies with specific hospital and department's policies concerning safety.
• Adjusts hours to meet patient services when cases are more or less than scheduled.
• Maintains compliance with the department call coverage.
  

11 Maintains professional appearance, behavior and work environment.

• Provide assistance to Service Secretary as needed to include scanning of patient information, organizing patient charts, greeting and escorting patients to room, and answering phone.
• Performs responsibilities of a Surgical Technologist First Assistant
• Applies knowledge of anatomy and physiology to provide visualization of the operative site using standard protocol to include appropriate packing with sponges, digital manipulation of tissue, suctioning irrigating or sponging.
• Functions as an assistant in the OR at the direction of the attending surgeon and practices within limitations of preparation and experience while maintaining a safe environment. Possesses an advanced working knowledge of operating room fundamentals, to include aseptic principles and techniques in hemostasis, closure of body planes, and visualization of the operative site.
• Assists with permanent or temporary hemostasis, including clamping and/or cauterizing vessels and tissue, typing or ligating clamped vessels or tissue, applying hemostatic clips or placing hemostatic agents under supervision.
• Assists surgeon with closure of peritoneal body plane, closes subcuticular and skin with method indicated by the surgeon. Utilized sutures of non-absorbable or absorbable material, skin staples or automated closure, occlusive materials, and skin closure strips.
• Assists in consistently maintaining the patients expected physiologic responses to surgery including infection prevention.
• Applies a working knowledge of patient pre-operative deficits, risk for intraoperative injuries and possible post-operative outcomes to assist in optimal patient outcomes.
  
  

Schedule

20hrs/Week, Mon - Friday, Rotating Call- Weekends and Holidays

Job Description

Job Requirements

Education

• Graduation from an accredited Surgical Technology program required.
• Successful completion of a CAAHEP accredited Surgical First Assistant program required.
• Satisfactory completion of annual mandatory education requirement.
  
  

Experience

• Must meet ST Level III criteria required.
• Proficient in multiple specialty areas required.
• Previous experience in preceptor role preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience required.
  
  

License/Certifications

• Current American Heart Association or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) strongly preferred at time of hire, required within 3 months of hire.
• Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) certification with currency per the Liaison Council of Certification for Surgical Technologists required, if CEU's are not accumulated to maintain certification, must retest for certification.
• Certification for Surgical Technologist First Assist (CSFA) Liaison Council preferred.
  
  

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Ability to perform mathematical computations.
  
  

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands

• Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.
  
  

Physical Activity

• Not necessary for the position (0%):
• Climbing
• Crawling
• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):
• Keyboarding/typing
• Kneeling
• Sitting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%):
• Balancing
• Carrying
• Crouching
• Distinguish colors
• Grasping
• Lifting
• Pulling/Pushing
• Reaching
• Repetitive Motions
• Speaking/talking
• Standing
• Stooping/bending
• Twisting
• Walking
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%):
• Hearing
• Seeing/visual
  

Job Hazards

• Not Related:
• Explosives (pressurized gas)
• Electrical Shock/Static
• Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma (particles such as X-ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife, etc)
• Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared and microwaves that causes injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means)
• Rare (1-33%):
• Equipment/Machinery/Tools
• Mechanical moving parts/vibrations
• Occasionally (34%-66%):
• Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
• Biological agents (primary air born and blood born viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) (BBF)
• Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
  

About Methodist

Nebraska Methodist Health System is made up of four hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa, more than 30 clinic locations, a nursing and allied health college, and a medical supply distributorship and central laundry facility. From the day Methodist Hospital was chartered in 1891, service to our communities has been a top priority. Financial assistance, health education, outreach to our diverse communities and populations, and other community benefit activities have always been central to our mission.

Nebraska Methodist Health System is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by Federal, state or local law.