JOB PURPOSE: NEURO-SPINE SERVICE LINE

Anticipates the needs of the surgeon/physician by ensuring the availability of sterile instruments, supplies and equipment required during surgical/procedural interventions to maximize patient outcomes. Assumes a leadership role and in development of professional practice.

Responsibilities:

1.    Applies principles and practices of asepsis; performs surgical scrub, gowning, and gloving procedure.
2.    Assembles all necessary supplies according to requirements of the patient and the surgical procedure. 
3.     Sets up sterile instrument table and prepares supplies according to type of operation. Assists in draping of patient and operative area according to need. 
4.    Assists and anticipates needs of surgeon for instruments, sutures, sponges, and supplies according to knowledge of procedural requirements and constant monitoring of progress. 
5.     Maintains correct count of sponges, needles, and instruments with circulating nurse and report correctness of discrepancies according to established policy and procedure. 
6.    Maintains and monitors aseptic technique at all times and institute corrective measures in the event of contamination.
7.    Assists in care, handling and disposition of specimen according to policy. 
8.    Inspects instruments, trays and packages to ensure sterility and completeness and with no evidence of bioburden. Ensures proper functioning of instruments before use. 
9.    Correctly receives and labels solutions and medications on the sterile field. Verifies all solutions and medications with RN team member. 
10.    Participates in Universal Protocol; Sign in, Time out and sign out per policy. 
11.    Participates in Fire Risk Assessment. Ensures fire safety measures are met and communicated.
12.    Demonstrates and understands use of all equipment in the patient care areas. Communicates malfunctioning equipment or instruments immediately and requests equipment be removed and sequestered appropriately until further investigation. 
13.    Maintains sharps safety measures in handling, transfer and disposal. Direct all team members in safe handling measures within the sterile field. 
14.    Maintains organized sterile back table. Follows point of use instrument cleaning standards. Use pre-cleansing solution on all instruments before delivering to SPD decontamination area. 
15.    Assists with cleanup in OR as necessary. 
16.    Maintains safety measures at all times. 
17.    Maintains a good professional working relationship with all team members.  
18.     Maintains professional and technical knowledge through continuing education and organization and unit mandates. Achieves and maintained professional ST certification as required. 
19.    Contributes to team efforts and high quality, safe patient outcomes through collaboration with peers, supervisors, surgeons, and anesthesiologists. Promoting all PRIDE values.  
20.    Performs other related duties as assigned.
21.    Precepts and participates in new team members orientation process and mentoring of new team members. 
22.    Active member of unit based shared governance council or participant in committees promoting departmental guidelines and protocols. 
23.    Active participant and mentor of CST PACT program. 
24.    Assists supervisors/management in budgetary planning, purchasing equipment, instruments and supplies. 
25.    Promotes CST profession by attending professional conferences, seminars and continuing education. Working with department educators to create in services and share knowledge. 
26.    Assist supervisors with preference cards, staff scheduling assignments, surgical case management and vendor communication. 
27.     Proficient in service line procedures to ensure coverage during emergencies and staff callouts. 
28.     Ensure that daily specialty carts, containing all necessary trays, are properly prepared and delivered from SPD to their designated locations for the day.  
29.     Verify that case carts for scheduled procedures are delivered to the OR in a timely manner and contain all required items. Support/facilitate these cases by providing supplies exclusive to the OR, such as implants, sutures, gloves, and other specialty items.
30.     Provide assistance to team members in troubleshooting issues, including missing trays or supplies, malfunctioning equipment, and offer support during emergencies as needed. 
31.     Support team members in room turnovers and ensure on-time starts for the first case of the day. 
32.    Regularly check stationary specialty carts and promptly notify the appropriate supervisor to replenish/order supplies when necessary. 
33.    Demonstrate and promote exemplary leadership qualities to foster a positive work environment, build trust among team members, and contribute to a supportive culture while minimizing the impact of negative comments and complaints.