Surgical First Assistant Technician - OR Support Specialist

Tennova---Turkey-Creek-Medical-Center-1; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center in Knoxville, TN is seeking a Surgical Technician First Assist to provide direct support to surgeons during procedures, maintaining the sterile field and handing instruments to the team. You will collaborate with nurses and anesthesia providers to ensure smooth operations in a fast-paced environment.

The role includes positioning patients, retracting tissues, controlling bleeding, suturing, wound closure, and post-procedure turnover, with a focus on patient

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of experience as a Surgical Technician or First Assist in an acute care setting required
• Proficiency in surgical techniques, aseptic principles, and sterile field maintenance.
• Strong knowledge of surgical anatomy, instrumentation, and procedural workflows.
• Ability to anticipate surgeon needs and respond quickly to intraoperative changes.
• Strong attention to detail in surgical counting procedures, patient positioning, and procedural safety.
• Effective communication and teamwork skills, ensuring smooth collaboration with surgeons, nurses, and anesthesia providers.
• Knowledge of infection control standards, regulatory compliance, and patient safety guidelines.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure surgical environment, demonstrating composure and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Functions as a scrub person during surgical procedures, preparing and organizing sterile supplies and instruments, maintaining an organized sterile field, and providing necessary instruments and supplies to the surgical team.
• Performs first assistant duties, including providing exposure through instrument handling, retractors, suctioning, and sponging techniques as directed by the surgeon.
• Handles and dissects tissues, clamps blood vessels, coagulates bleeding points, and places drains as instructed by the surgeon.
• Assists with wound closure, including suturing subcutaneous layers and skin, applying staples, and dressing surgical sites per surgeon instructions.
• Ensures sterility and safety standards, conducting proper counting procedures with the RN circulator, following infection control protocols, and taking corrective actions if needed.
• Prepares and transports surgical instruments for decontamination, ensuring proper handling and sterilization for future use.
• Assists in post-procedure room turnover, ensuring procedural areas are properly cleaned and prepared for subsequent surgeries.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Maintains regular and reliable attendance.
• Complies with all policies and standards.

Skills

Surgical asepsis

Sterile field maintenance

Intraoperative teamwork

Patient positioning

Attention to detail

Intraoperative communication

Education

CST - Certified Surgical Technologist

CSFA - Certified Surgical First Assistant

CSA - Certified Surgical Assistant

BCLS - Basic Life Support

ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support

Job description

Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center in Knoxville, TN is seeking a Surgical Technician First Assist to provide direct support to surgeons during procedures, maintaining the sterile field and handing instruments to the team. You will collaborate with nurses and anesthesia providers to ensure smooth operations in a fast-paced environment.

The role includes positioning patients, retracting tissues, controlling bleeding, suturing, wound closure, and post-procedure turnover, with a focus on patient