Surgery Support Specialist

Overview

Performs a variety of non-professional tasks and duties to support efficient and effective case start and case turnover processes. Participates in activities to analyze and improve operating room performance, room turnover, room set-up and support safety. Manages equipment, equipment preventative maintenance and equipment repair activities.

Qualifications

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.

Licensure/Certification/Registry:

• CPR certified within 30 days of employment.

Experience:

• Experience within the healthcare industry managing medical products and equipment or related experience is preferred.

Other Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Basic proficiency with personal computers and their associated applications, including word processing and spreadsheet software. Previous experience with Microsoft products, such as Word and Excel is preferred.

• Possesses the ability to regularly lift, push, and pull up to 50 pounds.

• Demonstrates the ability to multi-task autonomously while working on multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

• Demonstrates creativity, flexibility and ability to resolve atypical problems. Prior process improvement experienced desired.

Responsibilities

Manages equipment and equipment preventative maintenance schedule. Performs cleaning, inspection and protective measures after equipment use to ensure proper operation. Promptly identifies defects and malfunctions, coordinates plan for repair with GE, Biomedical Engineering, Purchasing, and external vendors. Appropriately labels and reports equipment removed from service for repair and arranges for loaned items as directed. Inspects items returned from repair prior to replacing into service. Consults with Charge Nurse and Resource Nurses to facilitate daily plan for case progression. Collaborates with nursing and sterile processing personnel to actively contribute to non-clinical case start and turnover activities, including validation that all supplies and equipment planned for specific surgical cases are available and prepared for use, cleaning activities to reestablish a safe environment after each surgery procedure, transport of equipment and positioning devices to the operating room and opening of sterile packaging in a manner that permits aseptic delivery of contents to the sterile field. Demonstrates competence in the use of flash/container sterilization and implements instrument sterilization as directed by nursing staff. Examines the surgical environment for conditions that pose a safety risk and takes action to minimize risk. Demonstrates knowledge of surgery equipment operation, providing a resource for nursing staff and physicians. Verbally and nonverbally demonstrates a willingness to support organizational change and assists with the development of a plan to accomplish change. Functions to support a culture of teamwork and safety. Demonstrates knowledge of surgical attire, aseptic technique, event-related sterility, monitoring of environmental conditions, traffic patterns and other practices influencing maintenance of a sterile field. Demonstrates compliance with safety principles. Recognizes and reports unsafe conditions and contributes to their resolution. Demonstrates knowledge of fire safety and evacuation routes. Monitor temperature logs on refrigerators, bone freezers and blanket /solution warmers in Surgery. Demonstrates the ability to transfer patients. Provides for patient safety, comfort, and privacy.

• Assists in the transportation of patients to the department and from the department if needed.

• Identifies patient properly by armband and verbal confirmation.

• Identifies self to patient and/or family. Is polite and informs family of location of appropriate waiting area when applicable.

• Uses good body mechanics to transfer the patient safely, maintaining body alignment with undue exposure, and seeks help if necessary.

• Raises the side rails.

• Reports significant observations of patient to appropriate personnel.

• Provides safe transportation of patients from pre-anesthesia holding area to OR. May assist in transfer to PACU post-operatively.

• Checks on patient comfort and provides reassurance to patient within level of responsibility. (Checks with patient regarding need for bedpans, urinals, blankets, etc., before leaving them in holding area.)

• Assist PACU in transfer of patients from one bed or stretcher to another and in post-op transportation of patients to their units as needed.

• Uses good handwashing techniques after each patient contact.

• Recognizes cardiac/respiratory arrest and takes appropriate action.

• Keeps patient information confidential.

Contributes to the smooth, efficient functioning of the department.

• Delivers and picks up supplies, specimens, etc., to and from proper departments. Delivers to appropriate OR suites and Lab as needed.

• Puts away unused supplies, equipment, films, etc. after cases.

• Answers STAT requests for equipment and supplies.

• Provides assistance with preps by acting as a limb holder.

• Assists in the orientation of new employees as necessary.

• Understands hospital disaster plans.

• Assumes other responsibilities as assigned.

• Willingly assists co-workers, as needed.

• Understands and follows hospital and departmental policies, procedures, and behavioral expectations.

• Attends 65 percent or a minimum of 6 unit staff meetings per year, whichever number is greater. Seeks excused absences from O.R. Support Supervisor when needed.

• Attends mandatory inservices.

Stock /order supplies in lounges and in sub-sterile areas daily. Performs other related work as required or requested.