Surgical Technologist First Assistant (STFA)

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC); Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

ANTHC in Alaska is seeking a Surgical Technologist First Assistant to support surgeons during invasive and non-invasive procedures, ensuring sterile technique and patient safety in the operating room. The role requires STFA certification and a GED with completion of the STFA program; preferred scrub tech experience.

You will prepare instruments, anticipate surgeon needs, and maintain sterility. ANTHC offers comprehensive benefits and a supportive team in one of the nation’s largest tribal health

Qualifications

• GED and STFA program certification required.
• Knowledge of sterile technique and asepsis.
• Ability to work under surgeon supervision.

Responsibilities

• Handle instruments, supplies, and equipment during the procedure.
• Identify patient, procedure, and site prior to start.
• Position the patient for access, safety and comfort.
• Maintain sterile field and high standard of asepsis throughout.
• Coordinate with surgical team and prepare instrument trays.

Job description

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is a non‑profit Tribal health organization designed to meet the unique health needs of Alaska Native and American Indian people living in Alaska. In partnership with the more than 171,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people that we serve and the Tribal health organizations of the Alaska Tribal Health System, ANTHC provides world‑class health services, which include comprehensive medical services at the Alaska Native Medical Center, wellness programs, disease research and prevention, rural provider training and rural water and sanitation systems construction.

ANTHC is the largest, most comprehensive Tribal health organization in the United States, and Alaska’s second‑largest health employer with more than 3,100 employees offering an array of health services to people around the nation’s largest state.

Our vision: Alaska Native people are the healthiest people in the world.

ANTHC offers a competitive and comprehensive Benefits Package for all Benefit Eligible Employees, which includes:

• Medical Insurance provided through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program as a Tribal Employee, with over 20 plans and tiers.
• Cost-Share Dental and Vision Insurances
• Discounted Pet Insurance
• Retirement Contributions with Pre‑Tax or Roth options into a 403(b).
• 401(a) ANTHC Retirement Plan: After one year of employment, ANTHC will begin making matching contributions of up to 5% of your eligible pay, based on your own contributions. In addition, you may be eligible for an annual discretionary contribution of up to 3% from the employer.
• Paid Time Off starts immediately, earning up to 6 hours per pay period, with paid time off accruals increasing based on years of service.
• Eleven Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave or miscarriage/stillbirth eligibility after six months of employment
• Basic Short/Long Term Disability premiums, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, and Basic Life Insurance are covered 100% by ANTHC, with additional options for Short-Term Disability Buy-Up Coverage and Voluntary Life for yourself and your family members.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Healthcare and Dependent Care.
• Ancillary Cash Benefits for accident, hospital indemnity, and critical illness.
• On‑Site Child Care Facility with expert‑designed classrooms for early child development and preschool.
• Employee Assistance Program with support for grief, financial counseling, mental/emotional health, and discounted legal advice.
• Tuition Discounts for you and your eligible dependents at Alaska Pacific University.
• On‑Site Training Courses and Professional Development Opportunities.
• License and certification reimbursements and occupational insurance for medical staff.
• Emergency Travel Assistance
• Education Assistance or Education leave eligibility
• Discount program for travel, gym memberships, amusement parks, and more.

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium has a hiring preference for qualified Alaska Native and American Indian applicants pursuant to P.L. 93-638 Indian Self Determination Act.

Summary

Surgical technologists First Assistants (STFA) work under the supervision and delegatory authority of a surgeon to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive and non‑invasive surgical procedures, ensuring that the operating room environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety. STFAs are experts in the theory and application of the principles of asepsis and sterile technique to combine the knowledge of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and implementation and tools and technologies to facilitate a physician’s performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.

Responsibilities

• The surgical technologist in the first scrub role handles the instruments, supplies, and equipment necessary during the surgical procedure. He/she understands the procedure being performed and anticipates the surgeon's needs. He/she has the necessary knowledge and ability to ensure quality patient care during the operative procedure and is constantly on vigil for maintenance of the sterile field.
• Identify the patient to ensure the patient, procedure and operative site correspond. Plan, supervise and assist with the patient's transfer to protect them from injury.
• Position the patient to provide access to the operative site while maximizing patient safety and comfort.
• Establish and maintain a surgically clean environment to reduce the potential for infection by applying the principles of the potential for infection by applying the principles of antisepsis, decontamination, disinfection, sanitation, sterilization and environmental monitoring.
• Establish and maintain a safe environment to protect the patient and the health care team by monitoring the patient (physiologically and psychologically) and the environment and by implementing safety procedures.
• Establish and maintain a sterile field to reduce potential for infection by teaching and supervising the application of principles of aseptic technique and continual monitoring of the sterile field.
• Coordinate support services needed during surgery by anticipating and communicating patient and surgical team needs.
• Prepares and anticipates additional instrumentation, equipment and supplies for usage during the procedure.
• Anticipates the needs of the surgeon by passing instruments and supplies to surgeon during procedures.
• Maintains highest standard of sterile technique during the procedure.
• Participates in debriefing and quality improvement practices to ensure quality patient care
• Provides support to ANTHC division and departments on specific projects.
• Quality Assurance.

• Works in coordination with the Quality Assurance Team and management to develop and implement a quality assurance program.
• Monitors and ensures consistent and continual quality of care is delivered.
• Reviews and ensures charts are complete on a regular basis.
• Consistently provides feedback to the providers on quality of care being delivered. Ensures that JCAHO and other regulatory standards are met as they apply to the department.
• Abides by policies, procedures and bylaws.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Other Information

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of Alaska Tribal Health System, ANTHC, and Alaska Native culture(s).
• Skill in operating a personal computer utilizing a variety of applications.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and tasks concurrently and meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively

MINIMUM EDUCATION QUALIFICATION

GED and Completion of the STFA program and certification

Minimum Experience Qualification

Non-supervisory - One (1) year of work experience and Full completion of certification course.

Minimum Certification Qualification

• Scrub tech course
• STFA certification
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Preferred Experience Qualification

1 year of scrub tech experience

Preferred Certification Qualification

Current Scrub Tech license

Additional Requirements

May be required to work outside the traditional work schedule. May be called out to work off-shift in emergency situations. According to the needs of the organization, some incumbents in this job class may be required to obtain specific technical certifications and programming language skills.