GENERAL SUMMARY:

Serves as a clinical resource for the operating rooms, collaborates with leaders, medical staff and operating room staff and provides expert clinical support to improve patient care and patient outcomes. Plans, directs, and coordinates orientation for clinical support staff to the operating rooms, initial and ongoing competency skills assessment, development, and clinical knowledge growth for staff involved in clinical practice. Facilitates learning and development of critical thinking skills utilizing a variety of teaching methods. Ensures adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.

PRINCIPAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. *Commits to the mission, vision, beliefs and consistently demonstrates our core values.
2. *Exemplifies a leadership role by role modeling the mission, beliefs, and behaviors; promotes and role models highly effective interpersonal relationships.
3. *Assists in concurrent and retrospective resolution of patient, family, and/or physician concerns and complaints.
4. *Provides presence on night shift in support of new staff and ongoing staff competence assessment and development.
5. May participate with leadership in interviewing and hiring for the unit/area assigned; promotes recognition and retention of staff.
6. *Ensures that existing policies and procedures are adhered to during daily interactions with staff.
7. *Assists and supports leadership with communicating and implementing unit/area changes. Collaborates to ensure continued maintenance of changes.
8. *Timely, objectively, and constructively coaches staff as appropriate when practice and/or safety issues are observed or reported; communicates with leadership if others fail to respond to proper guidance or adhere to standards expected for quality care; documents corrective actions and reviews with staff as appropriate.
9. *Maintains a high level of competency in surgical technique and demonstrates clinical proficiency by applying evidence-based practice in the clinical setting.
10. *Takes scrub assignments during volume or acuity changes or during increased staffing demand.
11. Appropriately uses, explains, and evaluates clinical equipment.
12. *Demonstrates, evaluates, and facilitates learning and development of critical thinking skills and all aspects of clinical practice by assessing learning and developmental needs of clinical staff, preceptors and departmental personnel and developing effective learning strategies.
13. Develops education and appropriate competencies based on evidence-based practice for population specific, condition-specific and treatment protocols including medication and equipment.
14. Models appropriate learning methodologies to promote mastery of competencies in assigned area of surgical care.
15. Facilitates the orientation schedule and training methods, including online orientation and monitors and tracks progress.
16. Collaborates with other departments/units and educators for effective use of education resources.
17. *Participates in performance and improvement projects in collaboration with other clinical staff and interdisciplinary teams including performance audits related to work responsibilities; evaluates safety practices; supports the evaluation of new products and equipment; monitors new research for best practice and promotes new practices and technology with staff and physicians; communicates performance/process outcomes to staff.
18. Utilizes the findings from quality improvement to enhance patient care, customer satisfaction (physicians and patients/families), and cost-effectiveness of services.
19. Maintains competence and education to function as a surgical scrub and preceptor, when necessary.
20. Maintains professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest trends in field of expertise.
21. Participates in meetings, committees and department projects as assigned.
22. Performs other related projects and duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Maintains clinical competency as required for the unit including but not limited to age-specific competencies relative to patient’s growth and developmental needs, annual skill competency verification and mandatory education and competencies.
2. Knowledge of service-related Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services standards.
3. Knowledge of system and change management principles and their application within the healthcare environment.
4. Knowledge of computer equipment and software applications relevant to work functions.
5. Skill in the use of electronic medical record, other clinical applications, and common organizational software.
6. Ability to apply adult learning principles and diverse teaching strategies.
7. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
8. Ability to prioritize work demands and work with minimal supervision.
9. Ability to appropriately work independently, take direction and collaborate with others.
10. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of personnel, medical staff, volunteer and ancillary departments including diverse patient populations and community groups.
11. Ability to problem solve and engage independent critical thinking skills.
12. Ability to maintain confidentiality relevant to sensitive information.
13. Ability to maintain regular and punctual attendance.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Graduation from a Surgical Technology program required. Surgical Technologist Certification required within 1 year of hire.

Three (3) years of surgical technologist or licensed surgical first assistant experience required.

OTHER CREDENTIALS / CERTIFICATIONS:

Certification in Basic Life Support (CPR) required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

(Physical Requirements are based on federal criteria and assigned by Human Resources upon review of the Principal Job Functions.)

(DOT) -- Characterized as medium work requiring exertion of 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or a greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.