Perioperative Care Specialist

WVU Medicine; Fairmont, Northern (WV, KY); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

WVU Medicine is seeking staff to support preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care for surgical/procedural patients. The role includes aseptic prep, equipment handling, inventory control, cleaning, and room turnover within the perioperative services environment.

Responsibilities extend to transporting patients, assisting with positioning, and maintaining sterile processing logs in accordance with departmental policies.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• BLS certification or HeartSaver First Aid within 30 days of hire.
• Successful completion of departmental clinical support or PCS orientation.

Responsibilities

• Utilizes aseptic technique to open sterile supplies and prepares sterile fields.
• Transports patients to and from areas; assists with patient transfers and positioning.
• Retrieves/cleans patient care equipment; runs errands as directed.

Skills

BLS certification

Prior patient care experience

CNA experience

MA experience

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Job description

Welcome! We’re excited you’re considering an opportunity with us! Below, you’ll find other important information about this position.

This position performs preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative support activities to assist the nursing team caring for surgical/procedural patients which may include total care within scope of practice (stable patient’s vital signs, activities of daily living, promotion of comfort) and the performance of point of care tests. Reports changes in patient’s condition to a RN. Includes assisting personnel in obtaining supplies, instruments, and equipment for surgical/procedural cases.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. High School diploma or equivalent.
2. Obtain certification in Basic Life Support or HeartSaver First Aid within 30 days of hire date. To be completed as established by department: (Administered at Department level) 1. Successful completion of departmental clinical support or PCS orientation.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Prior patient care experience.
2. CNA or MA experience.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Utilizes appropriate aseptic technique to open sterile supplies for patient use or for sterile field; performs shave preps; and holds extremities during surgical or procedural preps. Cleans and prepared work area for next patient and shift.
2. Transports patients to and from various areas. Cleans transport devices. Assists with patient transfers and positioning.
3. Retrieves/cleans patient care equipment. Runs errands as directed in timely manner.
4. Reviews stocking lists, preference cards, and supply carts to ensure/acquire supplies, instruments, and equipment are available for patient care use. Assists in the maintenance of inventory control system.
5. Maintains effective inventory control system including the daily stocking, checks for outdates (includes removal, discard, or reprocessing following established guidelines), and monitoring of level of supplies (i.e., case cart, trauma cart, suture packs) on supply/specialty carts/rooms. Places or returns supplies, instrumentation, and equipment to designated storage locations. Places unused sterile instrumentation and soft goods back in the appropriate location when being returned from Perioperative Services, HVI, or Children’s Hospital.
6. Assists in maintaining a clean, sanitary, and safe work environment in procedural areas and SPD through the maintenance of egress corridors by monitoring halls keeping them free of extra equipment allowing for easy equipment transportation; organization and cleaning of work areas, storerooms, patient bays, computers, and monitors; performance of post-case /post-care cleaning following established policies; performance of terminal and isolation cleaning if necessary including the daily/weekly cleaning of mobile fluid-waste equipment; cleaning/stocking of scrub sinks/housekeeping carts; weekly warmer cleaning with logged documentation; and cleaning of autoclaves as assigned.
7. Processes instruments/scopes when requested as the need arises. Prepares various cleaning solutions used in the decontamination of instruments, equipment, and rooms. Operates processing and cleaning equipment (i.e., washer/sterilizer or immediate use sterilizer known as IUS, and various other cleaning apparatus in OR, Sterile Processing, and other designated areas following established policies. Documents in designated log books completion of cleaning tasks.
8. Wraps instruments and supplies for sterilization labeling appropriately with color appropriate labels. May be assigned the task of preparing/processing OR linen and sterile packs.
9. Documents appropriately to foster the work of the department. Duties can include the obtainment and recording of patient weight, temperature, pulse, respirations, BP, intakes/outputs, and abdominal girths as directed by the nursing staff.
10. Transports specimens and records specimen delivery to lab or in designated log books. Add fixative to specimens when needed.
11. Provides respiratory support by properly setting up equipment needed for oxygen administration including the changing of tank regulators and checking of tank volumes.
12. Follows all departmental policies and procedures including the reporting of equipment/room repairs to appropriate persons in a timely manner. Performs tagging of equipment and putting in Biomed ticket for repair.
13. Assists in routine unit operations as directed/needed to ensure smooth communication and functioning of the unit. Relays accurate telephone, visitor, patient, and healthcare provider messages to appropriate persons in a timely manner.
14. Transports linens, trash, and biohazardous case carts/materials according to established policies wearing PPE and ensuring correct signage is in place prior to transport.
15. Assists with room or bay set-up. May monitor sterile field set-up when directed by registered nurse.
16. Assists team by performing tasks such as answering telephone and minor clerical duties in designated area.
17. Transports non-narcotic medications when directed by registered nurse. PCS may transport patient with a PCA/Epidural pump.
18. Cleans autoclaves in Sterile Processing and Operating Room/Procedural Areas. Cleans and organizes Sterile Processing areas as assigned. Cleans washers, cart washer, dryers, shelving, and other equipment as assigned in accordance with Manufacturer’s recommendation and departmental policy.
19. Processes instruments between cases (wash and sterilize by heat or cold sterilization) as the need arises. Maintains orderliness and cleanliness of various equipment and supplies in designated areas. Monitors halls keeping them free of extra equipment allowing for easy equipment transportation.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Must be physically capable of prolonged periods of standing and walking.
2. No known history or malignant hyperthermia (may not be waived).
3. Must be capable of lifting up to 60 pounds and pushing heavy loaded carts weighing more than 200 pounds. Able to transport patients on stretchers, in wheelchairs, or in cribs.
4. Must be able to discern and distinguish colors for point of care testing and inventory monitoring.
5. Must possess visual and hearing acuity along with manual dexterity and technical ability.
6. Demonstrates ability to utilize PPE.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

1. Work is completed in direct patient care environment.
2. Work area supports the activities of multiple providers performing parallel processing.
3. Must be able to work in a high stress environment.
4. Exposed to communicable diseases, body fluids, and chemicals.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Must understand and practice excellent personal hygiene.
2. Must be able to operate computer program with training.
3. Must have ability to follow directions both written and verbal (i.e., proficient reading and writing English language), and work with people.
4. Demonstrates team-building communications and work efforts to assist healthcare providers.
5. Demonstrates skills needed to utilize Safe Patient Handling equipment.

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 8 Shift: Exempt/Non-Exempt: United States of America (Non-Exempt) Company: WVUH West Virginia University Hospitals Cost Center: 1506 WVUH FMT Surgical Services Address: 1325 Locust Avenue Fairmont West Virginia

Equal Opportunity Employer West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively \"WVUHS\") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.

Thank you for your interest in working for WVUM.

The West Virginia University Health System is West Virginia’s largest health system and largest private employer, providing care to communities across West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The integrated academic health system includes 25 hospitals and five institutes, with more than 3,500 licensed beds, 4,000 clinicians, 39,000 employees, and $8.5 billion in annual operating revenues. Anchoring the system in Morgantown, West Virginia, are WVU Hospitals, an 880-bed academic medical center, and the 150-bed WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital. Together, the Health System’s hospitals, clinics, and specialty programs provide a comprehensive continuum of care, ranging from community-based primary and specialty services to highly complex, quaternary care and post-acute care.