CERTIFIED FIRST ASSISTANT - PRN

Watson-Clinic; Lakeland (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Watson-Clinic seeks a Surgical First Assistant to support the surgeon in the operating room and in the medical office. You will follow AORN guidelines, maintain sterility, protect the sterile field, and assist in transferring patients to the OR table.

The role includes intraoperative duties such as retracting tissues, suturing, using stapling devices, placing drains, assisting with local anesthesia, graft prep, dressing changes, and routine office procedures.

Responsibilities

• Maintain sterility of supplies and the sterile field.
• Assist in instrument handling, suturing, and knot tying.
• Position patient and assist with transfer to the OR table; verify patient identity.
• Retract tissues, use suction and cautery as directed; coordinate suturing moves.
• Assist with intraoperative positions, drains, grafts, and dressing changes.
• Provide intraoperative local anesthesia injections and assist office procedures as needed.

Job description

Description

Essential Functions

The Surgical First Assistant should not simultaneously function in the scrub role when serving as a First Assistant.

• Follows the appropriate technique as defined by AORN guidelines for the hand scrub
• Initiates corrective action when a break in technique occurs
• Inspects/maintains sterility of supplies/trays
• Protects integrity of the sterile field
• Provides correct sponging, direct pressure and clamping
• Operates suction equipment
• Provides cautery as directed, demonstrating correct use to avoid destruction of tissue
• Responds to the needs and anticipates the needs of the surgeon
• Adheres to the standards of care as outlined by the American Operation Nurses Association
• Assists in gathering all supplies needed for the procedure
• Assists in transferring the patient to the OR table and verifies identity of the patient
• Positions patient safely on the table
• Performs the proper surgical scrub on the correct operative site
• Drapes for maximum exposure to the operative site
• Retracts as directed by the physician
• Consistently retracts the tissues to maintain adequate exposure while maintaining the safety of the patient
• Identifies the correct suturing method for the area involved
• Demonstrates competency in the correct method of suturing/knot tying for the various types of tissue
• Coordinates suturing move with the surgeon and cuts sutures appropriately
• Utilizes stapling devices appropriately
• Secures drainage devices

Other surgical duties may include:

• assist with intraoperative positions
• injection of local anesthesia
• insertion of trocars
• preparation of grafts
• securing drains
• application of casts
• facilitating patient rounds
• changing of dressings
• and other duties as assigned by the supervising physician

Medical Office Duties:

• Summons and prepares patient for office visit.
• Assists the physician with medical office procedure.
• Administers medication, including injections; documents medication given or prescribed by ordering physicians as required by specialty.
• Adheres to nursing policy and procedure when documenting information in patient’s medical record.
• Maintains the integrity of the office
• Performs additional duties specific to the specialty, and/or acquires additional license or credentials.
• Accepts responsibility for reading and referencing new policies and procedures and Nursing Update newsletters and assumes responsibility for maintaining current certification in CPR.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Work Environment & Physical Demands

Ability to walk or stand for up to 80% of work time, and to push /pull equipment weighing up to approximately 40 pounds for up to 20% of work tune.

Exposures to blood and body fluids, and all areas of patient care. Also exposed to cool temperatures, hazardous equipment, fumes /odors and noise. Physical/Mental – Standing in one place for prolonged periods of time.

Manual Dexterity – Handling of surgical instruments

Travel

No travel is expected for this position except to satellite offices.