Surgical Technician

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has a rich history of providing exceptional healthcare, dating back to 1891. Building upon a legacy of compassionate care and innovation, our organization has evolved over the years through strategic partnerships and integrations to expand our reach and services across the Puget Sound area.

Today, as Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we remain deeply committed to healing the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – in the communities we serve. This commitment is strengthened by the diverse expertise and shared values brought together through our growth.

Our dedicated providers offer a full spectrum of health care services, from routine wellness to complex disease management, all grounded in rigorous research and education. Our comprehensive network of 10 hospitals and nearly 300 care sites strategically located across the greater Puget Sound region reflects our ongoing commitment to accessibility and comprehensive care.

We are proud of our pioneering medical advances and numerous awards and accreditations that reflect our dedication to excellence. When you join Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, you become part of a team that delivers top-quality, professional healthcare in modern, well-equipped facilities, and contributes to a legacy of service built on collaboration and shared purpose.

Summary: 

Provides, as an integral part of the medical practitioner team, surgical care to patients to facilitate safe and effective completion of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. Under the guidance of surgeons, nurses, or other designated personnel, the incumbent performs preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative duties within the scope of licensure to ensure that the operating room or environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety.

Incumbents are also accountable for utilizing and keeping current on the application of sterile and aseptic technique, surgical procedures, implementation tools and technologies, human anatomy as well as collaborating and communicating effectively with the inter-disciplinary team to facilitate a physician's performance of invasive and therapeutic procedures.

Essential Functions: 

• Prepares the operating room and patient for the surgical procedure by applying principles and techniques of asepsis to work assignments; sets up sterile equipment, instruments, drapes and solutions; assists with scrubbing, preparation of sterile field, gowning/gloving members of the surgical team.
• Helps the surgeon and any assistants put on their surgical gowns and gloves.
• Assists with positioning and draping of patient under direction of qualified practitioner.
• Assists with comfort and safety measures under direction of qualified practitioner.
• Transfers and positions patient to operating room table and covers them with sterile surgical drapes.
• Assists anesthesia personnel as needed under the direction of qualified practitioner.
• Actively participates in the Surgical Safety Checklist and Time Out on every patient.
• Provides safe handling and care for instruments and specimens in accordance with internal procedures.
• Hands the desired instruments to the surgeon during the operation; may also hold retractors and assist with cutting sutures, applying suction, applying surgical hand-piece to instrument and applies/removes cast under supervision of qualified practitioner.
• Performs all appropriate counts as required with circulator (at a minimum) prior to the operation and before the incision is closed.
• Help prepare, care for, and proper labeling and safe handling of specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
• Prepares the sterile dressings.
• Identifies emergencies (e.g. cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Malignant Hyperthermia, and other medical emergencies) and initiates and/or participates in the appropriate response to the situation.
• Sets up the operating surgeon’s sterile table to include instrument set up, clean up and turnover in preparation for the next case.
• Anticipates and plans ahead for the surgeon’s equipment needs, based on knowledge of procedure.
• Operates sterilization devices, including immediate use containment devices, autoclaves, and other types of sterilizers following the manufacturers’ instructions. Understands the concepts of sterilizer challenge devices and sterilizer biological indicators and their appropriate use, monitoring and tracking.
• Operates sterilizers with the appropriate sterilization cycle and following manufacturer’s instructions.
• Verifies and documents Immediate Use Steam Sterilization loads and biological data per protocol.
• Identifies emergencies (e.g. cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Code 9, and other medical emergencies), and initiates and/or participates in the appropriate response to the situation.
• Provides input to the development of unit standards and goals.
• Stocks and replenishes the operating room, preparing it with new sterile items and checking the equipment to make sure it is working properly for the next surgery.
• Cleans and disinfects the surgical instruments according to standards and assists with cleaning the operating room after surgery and turnover in preparation for the next case.
• May assist with the transfer of the patient under direction of qualified practitioner.
• Cleans and restocks assigned work areas to include removal of out-dates.
• Identifies and reports problems with supplies or equipment.  Enters equipment repair requests in system, tags and removes from service.
• Maintains an organized and safe work and patient environment, adhering to the hospital’s safety, risk management and regulatory standards.  Reports any unusual circumstances to departmental leadership.
• Participates in quality improvement and cost saving initiatives as requested.
• Cultural Sensitivity and Competence:  Demonstrates proper use of communication tools/materials for effective communication and understands how the culture(s) of patient populations can affect communication, collaboration and the provision of care, treatment and services.  Patient Population Served:  Demonstrates knowledge and proper skills associated with the department’s defined specific populations served.

Required Education:

• Graduation from surgical technology program accredited through Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology ARC-ST Or 
• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing may be substituted for graduation from an accredited surgical technician program.
• Six months operating room work experience that demonstrates attainment of the requisite job knowledge skills/abilities Preferred. 

Required License & Certifciations: 

• Surgical Technologist Registration: WA (SURGTECH-S:WA) Or Registered Nurse: WA (RN:WA)
• Basic Life Support - CPR (BLS-CPR) through the American Heart Association.