Certified Surgical First Assistant

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: Medical Office Building - MWH
Address: 717 N 190th Plaza - Elkhorn, NE
Work Schedule: This is a casual/PRN position. Casual/PRN employees work on an ‘as needed’ basis to meet the needs of the business. Work days/hours will often vary from week to week. Typical schedule when needed will be: Monday through Friday, 7am to 5pm

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.

Responsibilities:

Essential Job Functions

1. 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.

2. Functions as scrub person during operative procedure by preparing, monitoring, and maintaining a sterile field.

• Completes surgical scrub according to policy.
• Performs scrub duties in an accurate, concise and timely manner.
• Wears appropriate personal protective apparel (PPA) and follows standard policy for attire in the operating room.
• Follows policy for wearing protective eye-wear during procedures.
• 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 surgical staff.
• Assists with draping sterile field according to standard.
• Watches progress of the operation and anticipates needs of team members.
• Disassembles instruments and equipment and 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.

3. Applies base knowledge and principles during operative procedure (Intraoperative Surgical).

• Demonstrates 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.
• Checks for correct function of equipment prior to actual use and returns to proper location. Cleans equipment properly.
• Exhibits proper use of suturing and stapling devices.
• Stocks supplies and instruments in operating room and labor and delivery as necessary.

9. 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.
• Complies with call-in time and policies.
• Adheres to policy and procedures of the department of patient care services and the hospital and holds others accountable for following them.
• 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.

10. Maintains professional appearance, behavior and work environment.

• Provide assistance as needed to include scanning of patient information, organizing patient charts, greeting and escorting patients to room, and answering phone.

Schedule:

Work Schedule: This is a casual/PRN position. Casual/PRN employees work on an ‘as needed’ basis to meet the needs of the business. Work days/hours will often vary from week to week. Typical schedule when needed will be: Monday through Friday, 7am to 5pm

Job Description:

Job Requirements

Education

• High School degree or equivalency required.
• Associate or Bachelor degree in Allied Health field preferred.
• Graduation from an accredited Certified Surgical First Assistant program required.
• Approved continuing education resulting in currency per the Liaison Council of Certification for Surgical Technologists required.
• Satisfactory completion of annual mandatory education requirements and certification maintenance.

Experience

• Minimum of two years of operating room experience required.
• Demonstrated proficiency in multiple specialty areas required.
• Previous experience in preceptor role preferred.

License/Certifications

• Certification from an accredited Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) program required.
• Licensed Surgical First Assistant (LSFA) through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services required at time of hire.
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) required at time of hire.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Ability to perform mathematical computations.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work tasks.
• Knowledge of medical diagnoses, procedures and treatment protocols related to area of expertise.
• Knowledge of HIPAAA requirements and organizational expectations of confidentiality.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with coworkers, physicians and team members.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands

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

Physical Activity

• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):
  • Climbing
  • Crawling
  • Kneeling
  • Sitting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%):
  • Balancing
  • Carrying
  • Crouching
  • Distinguish colors
  • Keyboarding/typing
  • Lifting
  • Pulling/Pushing
  • Repetitive Motions
  • Stooping/bending
  • Twisting
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%):
  • Grasping
  • Hearing
  • Reaching
  • Seeing/Visual
  • Speaking/talking
  • Standing
  • Walking

Job Hazards

• Not Related: - Electrical Shock/Static
• Rare (1-33%):
  • 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)
• Occasionally (34%-66%):
  • Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
  • Equipment/Machinery/Tools
  • Explosives (pressurized gas)
  • Hazardous Drugs (exposure risks, personal protective equipment required)
• Frequent (67%-100%):
  • Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
  • Biological agents (primary air born and blood born viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) (BBF)
  • Mechanical moving parts/vibrations

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.