SURGICAL SCRUB TECH

The Surgical Scrub Tech provides critical support during surgical procedures by ensuring that the operating room is prepared with sterile instruments, equipment, and supplies. Working closely with surgeons, nurses, and other members of the surgical team, the Surgical Scrub Tech plays a vital role in delivering quality patient care by maintaining aseptic conditions and adhering to safety protocols. This position requires a high level of attention to detail, technical expertise, and the ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.

Essential Duties

• Assist in positioning and transporting patients to/from the operating room under RN supervision.
• Maintain a sterile field during surgical procedures, passing instruments to the surgeon as needed.
• Prepare the operating room, perform room turnover, and assist in terminal cleaning at the end of the day.
• Perform damp dusting, and other cleaning and equipment setup.
• Opens and manages sterile supplies to ensure readiness for procedures.
• Properly handles and cares for instruments during case and after to correctly place in trays at completion of case noting any malfunctions. 
• Ensure accurate sponge, needle, and instrument counts in coordination with the circulating nurse.
• Care for and label specimens during procedures, ensuring proper handling.
• Manage back table setup and ensure supplies and instruments are organized according to the surgeons preference cards.
• Maintains responsibility for the proper care of specimens throughout the procedure including proper labeling and verifications with the surgeon 
• Assist with the transfer of patients to and from the OR table.
• Adhere to infection control practices by following aseptic techniques and isolation precautions.
• Collaborates with the OR team to ensure safe patient care, open communication, and adherence to policies while maintaining a positive, professional attitude.
• Embraces constructive feedback for professional growth and identifies training needs in other specialties.
• Actively supports process improvements, participates in discussions with solutions, and mentors others in compliance with policies.
• Prioritizes patient safety by utilizing the \"\"CUS\"\" acronym, reporting relevant information to the charge nurse or circulating RN, and viewing error reporting as a tool for improvement.
• Stays updated on changes through communication book reviews when unable to attend meetings.
• Takes assigned call weeknights (1-2 days), weekends (every 3rd to 5th weekend) and holidays and rotations purposes. 
• Responds to call within the assigned 30 minutes. Is mindful to relieve previous shift on time. 
• Minimum 6 month orientation is required during a fulltime work week (40hours).
• Understands that role is not limited to what is listed in the job description and that team work is defined by doing whatever is necessary to promote efficiencies and provide safe patient care. 

Non-essential Duties

• Review communication updates and contribute to staff discussions on process improvements.
• Mentor and assist with training new staff in adherence to protocols and best practices.
• Participate in ongoing education and training to maintain expertise across surgical specialties.

Preferred Experience

• Preferred medical background with basic knowledge of medical terminology, procedures, and healthcare practices.

Required Licensure/Education

• High school graduate or equivalent required.

Preferred Education

• Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) preferred.
• BLS within 6 months of hire.
• CNA

Employee Health Requirements

Exposure to: 

• Chemicals: refer to MSDS
• Video Display Terminals: Average 
• Blood and Body Fluids: Extreme potential for exposure with each surgical procedure. All patients are considered infectious and the OR follows universal precautions on all procedures greatly reducing the risk to the OR personnel.
• TB or Airborne Pathogens: Extreme potential for exposure with each surgical procedure. The OR follows universal precautions on all cases thus greatly reducing the risk to the OR personnel.

Sensory requirements (speech, vision, smell, hearing, touch): 

• Speech: Required to communicate with surgeons, anesthesia personnel, patients and co-workers. 
• Vision: Required to assist surgeons with scrubbing and scrub assisting. Many OR procedures require keen visual observation because of the size of suture material used/instrumentation used. It is necessary to observe video monitors, and to draw and used by the surgeon during a procedure. 
• Smell: Helpful to detect electrical fire problems. 
• Hearing: Telephone communications, meetings, and equipment operating characteristics. 
• Touch: Necessary to hand instruments during procedures. Necessary to operate controls on equipment.

Activity/Lifting Requirements: 

Percentage of time during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 5%
• Twist: 5%
• Stand: 80%
• Crawl: 1%
• Walk: 10%
• Kneel: .5%
• Lift: .5%
• Drive: 0%
• Squat: 2%
• Climb: .5%
• Bend: 2%
• Reach above shoulders: 1%

The weight required to be lifted each normal workday according to the continuum described below:

• Up to 10 lbs: Continuously
• Up to 20 lbs: Frequently
• Up to 35 lbs: Frequently
• Up to 60 lbs: Occasionally
• Up to 75 lbs: Not Required
• Up to 100 lbs: Not Required
• Over 100 lbs: Not Required

Describe and explain the lifting and carrying requirements. 

Sterilizing pans weighing 5-25 pounds are carried at waist level from the sterilizer to OR rooms down a hallway, covering distances of 20 to 150 feet. Transporting patients from carts to the OR bed after surgery involves lifting patients who weigh between 25 and 300 pounds, typically shared among three people with the assistance of a mechanical lifter, as patients are generally unable to assist. Equipment is carried or pushed from the storage room to the OR, spanning 10 to 150 feet. Laundry and garbage bags are transported to the trash room, covering 150-200 feet. Instrument trays are lifted from racks to cabinets for storage. Fire extinguishers may occasionally need to be carried down one flight of stairs or up five flights. Proper body mechanics training helps reduce the risk of injury to staff

Maximum consecutive time (minutes) during the normal workday for each activity:

• Sit: 30
• Twist: 60
• Stand: 300-500 (7-9 hrs).
• Crawl: 1
• Walk: 15-30
• Kneel: 1
• Lift: 5
• Drive: 0
• Squat: 2
• Climb: 5
• Bend: 25
• Reach above shoulders: 5

Repetitive use of hands (Frequency indicated):

• Simple grasp up to 15 lbs. Normal weight: 15lbs: frequent
• Pushing &pulling Normal weight: 50-200lbs: frequently
• Fine Manipulation: Loading needle holders, syringes, passing instruments, assembly of small instrument parts.

Repetitive use of foot or feet in operating machine control: 

• Raise and lower OR tables, PACU carts with moderate pressure. 
• Bed lock and chairs at least 50lbs of pressure.

Environmental Factors (Time Spent):

• Inside hours: 8-10
• Outside hours: 0
• Temperature: Normal Range
• Lighting: Average
• Noise levels: Very loud-Average
• Humidity: Normal Range
• Atmosphere: Fumes & Odors

Special Hazards: 

• Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical - Laser plumes, steris machine sterilant, bovies, other electrical equipment. Disinfectant for used for instruments and cleaning rooms, compressed air tanks: O2, CO2, Nitrous, x-ray used during many procedures. 

Protective Clothing Required: X-ray aprons, thyroid shields, gowns, gloves, masks, shoe covers, goggles, face shields.