The Lead Surgical Technologist demonstrates advanced knowledge, skills, and understanding of the unique aspects of surgical procedures and equipment. The Lead Surgical Technologist demonstrates advanced competency scrubbing and assisting on service line procedures. The Lead may rotate to areas other than his/her assigned specialty and will perform those duties for which he/she has demonstrated competency. The Lead Surgical Technologist will assume responsibility and accountability for the preparation of the service line OR rooms for surgery. In addition. he/she maintains knowledge of all service line equipment and ensures proper working order and availability, tracks repairs, and participates in requests for new purchases.

The Lead Surgical Technologist is a resource to other OR staff and may assist with direct or indirect OR activities. The Lead Surgical Technologist must be able to perform skills to the standards of care that the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) defines as quality-of-care accuracy and efficiency. The Lead must be able to work independently and fully understand all facets associated with the responsibilities of a leader with the ability to adjust for priorities on a case-by-case basis to produce quality care for patients undergoing surgery at Billings Clinic. The Lead must be knowledgeable with the standards set by AST, AORN, and AAMI.
Essential Job Functions
• Consistently creates, maintains, and monitors a sterile field.
• Drapes with sterile technique in accordance with the surgeon preference.
• Adheres to standard precautions and the use of personal protective equipment.
• Familiar with equipment, instrumentation and supplies for basic procedures.
• Anticipates the needs of the surgical team before, during, and after the procedure.
• Reviews preference cards and prepares accordingly for assigned procedures.
• Accountable for cost effective practice with regards to equipment and supplies.
• Identifies, and properly handles specimens for processing.
• Counts instruments, sharps, and sponges, before, during, and after procedures.
• Cleans and prepares instruments for reprocessing/sterilization.
• Familiar with the methods of sterilization: Steam, Steris, flash, ETO.
• Properly transfers, stores, and labels all medications on the field under the supervision of the circulating RN.
• Reacts appropriately in emergency patient situations by remaining scrubbed or performing as directed by the RN.
• Safeguards patient information and maintains patient confidentiality.
• Collaborates with the surgical team in the implementation of the plan of care for each patient.
• Recognizes and reports situations which impact patient safety.
• Participates in indirect patient care activities such as cart stocking, case cart completion etc.
• Facilitates efficient turnovers.
• Participates in mandatory annual training and scheduled in-services.
• Complies with policies and procedures of Surgical Services
• Identifies individual self-learning needs and works with perioperative educator to seek appropriate experiences.
• Serves as a role model for professional perioperative practice in the Operating Room.
• Takes call and proficiently scrubs for all surgical specialties.
• Assumes responsibility for precepting newer staff/students to the scrub role.
• Collaborates to identify learning needs of orientee staff and assists with opportunities for teaching/learning programs, assists with competency-based practice.
• Responsible for streamlining trays, dry goods and the set-up and breakdown of surgical cases.
• Demonstrates ability to operate and trouble-shoot a variety of equipment used in the surgical suite.
• Ensures that proper Radiation Safety protection is being practiced and exercised according to standard.
• Participates in hospital or unit-based performance improvement activities.
• Completes educational activities as assigned

Minimum Qualifications
Education
•Graduate from an accredited surgical technology program or equivalent

Experience
•3 to 5 years of surgical technologist experience preferred
• Demonstrates knowledge and practice of basic patient care concepts
• Demonstrates the application of the principles of asepsis in a knowledgeable manner that provides for optimal patient care in the OR
• Demonstrates basic surgical case preparation skills
• Demonstrates the ability to perform the role of first scrub on basic surgical cases
• Safe pharmaceutical handling requirements and guidelines
• Analytical and critical thinking skills necessary to understand a variety of basic and/or routine problem scenarios associated with patient care
• Interpersonal skills which enable the incumbent to appropriately respond to a variety of patient/family requests and inquiries, to respond to inquiries from physicians, nursing staff and other health care providers, and to check for understanding, allay apprehension and enlist cooperation of the patient
• Ability to utilize and apply PSE skills

Certifications and Licenses
•Certification for Surgical Technology At hire

Or an equivalent combination of education and experience relating to the above tasks, knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered. Employees that require a licensed or certification must be properly licensed/certified and the licensure/certification must be in good standing.