Surgical Technologist - Duke Ambulatory Surgery Center

Duties and Responsibilities: of this Level

• Level I - New graduate with up to 18 months of full-time equivalent experience.
• Perform all responsibilities in a manner that demonstrates Service Excellence towards patients, physicians, peers and other departments.
• Assume responsibility for upholding the policies and procedures of the department and organization.
• Demonstrates eagerness to learn, takes direction, adapts to changes within unit, demonstrates consistent progress toward Level II.
• Establishes and maintains sterile field and assures team maintains sterile environment.
• Demonstrate and practice a good understanding of sterile technique.
• Has a basic knowledge of instrumentations.
• Prepare Operating Room with appropriate instrumentation, equipment and supplies.
• Demonstrates correct and safe instrumentation passing and performs sponge, needle and instrument counts in a safe and accurate manner.
• Maintain technical skills to serve a patient population comprised of infancy to geriatric clients.
• Take calls and rotate shifts as required under the direction of a registered nurse.
• For Surgical Technologists with a dual role in an ambulatory environment, additional responsibilities may include: prepare patients for examinations and procedures in the surgical clinic setting; assist the physician during patient examination and procedures in the clinic; collect and label laboratory specimens for processing; reinforce postoperative instructions under direction of physician or RN; assist with incoming and outgoing patient calls under supervision of physician or RN; remove sutures/ staples, change sterile and non-sterile dressings, following DUHS policies and procedures, under direction of RN or physician; perform other clinical functions as delegated and supervised by the RN or physician; schedule and post surgical cases; coordinate complex scheduling of cases which require additional surgical support; update and file patient medical records.
• Must advance to level II within 18 months.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required.

• Level II - Perform all the duties and responsibilities of Level I, plus the following:
• Assist with the teaching of newly hired technologists and student technologists.
• Serve as a role model to new employees and other staff members.
• Establish and maintain sterile field and assure team maintains sterile environment independently.
• Anticipate the needs of the surgical team.
• Apply basic knowledge of instrumentations to several cases.
• Demonstrate appropriate and correct case preparation.
• Competent at unit level.
• Corrects deficiencies at the case level.
• Communicate effectively with patients, staff members and physicians.
• Adherence to standards including but not limited to unit and hospital policies and procedures, regulatory standards, and patient safety goals.
• Assume responsibility for self and ensures that the policies, procedures and safety practices of the Operating Room and Hospital are reinforced.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required.

Required Qualifications at this Level

• Education
• Graduate of an accredited Surgical Technology program or maintains an accredited Surgical Technologist certification (NCCT or NBSTSA).
• Or, provides evidence of the successful completion of an appropriate training program for Surgical Technology in the United States Military.

• Experience
• Level I- Entry level position for new graduates of Surgical Technology program or Surgical Technologists with 0 to 18 months experience.
• Level II- Requires 6 to 12 months of full-time equivalent Surgical Technology or relevant military experience.

• Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification
• Level I- BLS required.
• Level II- BLS required.

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Ability to adapt to changes within unit.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure in a stressful environment, and often without relief.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of anatomy relating to the surgical procedure and the instrumentation required in order to effectively anticipate the needs of the surgeon.
• Ability to set priorities and respond appropriately to actual and/or potential life threatening situations.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

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Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.