Certified Surgical First Assist

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization:

Surgical Services

Job Summary:

The Certified Surgical First Assist plays a vital, hands‑on role in delivering high‑quality surgical care by working side‑by‑side with the surgeon in an expanded CST First Assist capacity. This position actively supports surgical procedures through precise patient positioning, preparation, and draping, maintains optimal surgical site visibility by providing wound exposure and hemostasis, and assists with tissue handling and suturing under the surgeon’s direction. As a versatile member of the surgical team, the Surgical Technologist First Assist may also step in to perform core Surgical Technologist duties as needed to ensure safe, efficient operations.

Position Shift:
- Day shift, 5x8's, with on‑call responsibility for some weekends, holidays, and nights
- On‑call rotation required, approximately 6 days each month


Sign On Bonus
-This full-time position offers a $20,000 (taxable) bonus to be paid in equal payments over 2 years.
-The sign-on bonus is not applicable to current VUMC staff or former staff who have worked for VUMC in the past twelve months.

Relocation Bonus
-Up to $10,000 (taxable) to be paid within 45 days of hire, based on relocation mileage.
-Must relocate from greater than 100 miles to be eligible.
-This bonus is not applicable to current VUMC staff or former staff who have worked for VUMC in the past twelve months.

About Us:
Our 60-bed facility offers a range of inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical care. Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital has once again received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from Leapfrog for spring 2025, marking its sixth consecutive “A” rating. This national distinction recognizes our hospital's achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error. VBH is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the American Heart Association.

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Key Responsibilities:
• Assists the surgical team during the operative procedure.
• Knowledge of sterile technique and maintenance of sterility of surgical field.
• Ability to circulate all operative cases independently.
• Ability to care for patient in PACU in the immediate postoperative period.
• Completes perioperative record accurately and completely.
• Charges accurately for items used in the operating room.
• Prepares rooms with appropriate instruments, sutures, supplies and equipment.
• Assists the surgical team during operative procedures.
• Consistently provides accurate and complete handoff communication to any healthcare provider according to hospital policy.

Qualifications:

Required: Graduate of an approved specific discipline OR successful completion of a surgical assistant training program during the applicant's service as a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States.

Required: 1 year of relevant work experience

Required: Registration with the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners.

Preferred: Certification from one of the listed issuers below:

• NBSTSA CST – National Board of Surgical Technologist and Surgical Assistants, Certified Surgical Technologist.
• NCCT – TS-C – National Center for Competency Testing, Tech In Surgery.

Required: Certification from one of the listed issuers below:

• CSFA - Certified Surgical First Assistant - National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA)
• CSA - Certified Surgical Assistant - National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA)
• CSA- Certified Surgical Assistant - National Commission for Certification of Surgical Assistants (NCCSA)
• SA-C – Surgical Assistant-Certified - American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA)

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

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Core Accountabilities:

* Organizational Impact: Independently performs non-routine tasks that significantly impact team and other related teams.* Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Gathers and analyzes data to solve problems that arise with little or no precendent.* Breadth of Knowledge: Applies advanced job knowledge and has developed a breadth of skills in other areas. * Team Interaction: Serves as a lead for the team by providing expertise and guidance to team members.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas. - Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships. - Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services : - Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them. - Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality : - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly. - Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively : - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation: - Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches. - Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges. - Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

Certified Surgical Assistant - National Commission for Certification of Surgical Assistants (NCCSA), Certified Surgical Assistant - National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA), Certified Surgical First Assistant - National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), Certified Surgical First Assistant - The American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA), LIC-Registered Surgical Assist-Tennessee - Tennessee

Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level :

1 year

Education:

Graduate of an approved discipline specific program

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity.  EOE/Vets/Disabled.