Surgical Tech First Assist

Tennova Healthcare- North Knoxville Medical Center; Powell (TN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Surgical Technician First Assist at Tennova Healthcare- North Knoxville Medical Center provides direct support to surgeons during procedures, maintaining a sterile field and supplying instruments to enable efficient operations.

This role requires advanced technical skills, including positioning patients, retracting tissues, controlling bleeding, suturing, and assisting with dressings, with collaboration among surgeons, nurses, and anesthesia providers.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of experience as a Surgical Technician or First Assist in an acute care setting.
• CST - Certified Surgical Technologist required
• CSFA - Certified Surgical First Assistant or CSA - Certified Surgical Assistant required
• BCLS - Basic Life Support required; ACLS preferred
• Proficiency in sterile field maintenance, infection control, and intraoperative safety practices

Responsibilities

• Functions as a scrub person during surgical procedures, preparing/organizing sterile supplies and instruments.
• Performs first assistant duties including exposure, tissue handling, suctioning, and sponging as directed by the surgeon.
• Dissects tissues, clamps vessels, coagulates bleeding points, and places drains as instructed.
• Assists with wound closure, suturing, staples, and dressing per surgeon instructions.
• Maintains sterility and safety standards, conducts proper counting with the RN circulator, and follows infection control protocols.
• Prepares and transports instruments for decontamination and sterilization for future use.
• Assists in post-procedure room turnover and prepares areas for subsequent surgeries.
• Maintains regular attendance and compliance with policies and standards

Skills

Surgical techniques

Aseptic principles

Sterile field maintenance

Anatomy knowledge

Teamwork

Communication

Job description

Job Summary

The Surgical Technician First Assist provides direct support to surgeons during surgical procedures, ensuring efficient operative and invasive procedures by maintaining the sterile field, providing necessary instruments and supplies, and assisting in critical surgical tasks. This role requires advanced technical skills to support the surgical team, including positioning patients, retracting tissues, controlling bleeding, suturing, and applying dressings. The Surgical Technician First Assist collaborates with surgeons, nurses, and other surgical team members to ensure optimal patient outcomes and post-operative care.

Shift: 6:30AM-5:00PM

Job Summary

The Surgical Technician First Assist provides direct support to surgeons during surgical procedures, ensuring efficient operative and invasive procedures by maintaining the sterile field, providing necessary instruments and supplies, and assisting in critical surgical tasks. This role requires advanced technical skills to support the surgical team, including positioning patients, retracting tissues, controlling bleeding, suturing, and applying dressings. The Surgical Technician First Assist collaborates with surgeons, nurses, and other surgical team members to ensure optimal patient outcomes and post-operative care.

Essential Functions

• 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.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of experience as a Surgical Technician or First Assist in an acute care setting required

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• 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.

Licenses and Certifications

• CST - Certified Surgical Technologist required and


• Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) through NBSTSA required or


• Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA) through NSAA required


• BCLS - Basic Life Support required


• ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support preferred