Job Summary:
The Lead Surgical Technologist is a specifically trained scrub technologist who, under the direction of a Registered Nurse, serves as a vital member of the OR team, responsible for direct and indirect care of the surgical patient. The lead surgical technologist has additional duties and responsibilities in accordance with perioperative operations and the perioperative leadership team.

Education:
High School education or equivalent.

Individuals employed to be Surgical Technologist must have completed one of the following educational requirements:

(1) Have completed a program for surgical technology accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP); or
(2) Have completed an appropriate training program for surgical technologists in the armed forces or at a CAAHEP accredited hospital or CAAHEP accredited ambulatory surgical treatment center program. For the purposes of this act, �armed forces� means the army, navy, air force, marine corps, coast guard, or public health services of the United States: or
(3) Successfully complete the surgical technologists LCC-ST certifying exam.
(4) In addition to the individuals identified in Tennessee Code 68-57-102, a person may be employed upon providing sufficient evidence that prior to May 21, 2007, the person was at any time employed as a surgical tech for not less than 18 months in the three years preceding May 21, 2007, in a hospital, medical office, surgery center or an accredited school of surgical technology, as defined by this code. An individual who has begun the appropriate training to be a surgical technologist as defined by this section, prior to May 21, 2007 shall be eligible for employment as a surgical technologist; provided that the training is completed by May 21, 2010.
Also, a person may be employed as a surgical technologist if the person was at any time employed as a surgical technologist for not less than 18 months in a hospital, medical office, surgery center or school. Tenn. Code Ann. 68-57-102(a) does not limit the 18 month time frame, and hence that section would permit a person to be employed as a surgical technologist if the person had been so employed for not less than eighteen months at any time, regardless of the length of time that may have elapsed since such employment, provided that the person complies with the continued competency requirement mandated.

Any student who completes a surgical technology program that is in the process of becoming CAAHEP accredited on July 1, 2006 shall be considered a graduate of CAAHEP accredited program.

Preferred:

Experience:
Required: 5 years practicing as a surgical technologist
Preferred: CST (Certified Surgical Tech) and/or Certified Central Sterile Tech

Position Requirement(s): License/Certification/Registration
Required: BLS completed prior to going to the unit/department and maintained going forward

Department Position Summary:
The Lead Surgical Technologist is responsible for the preparation of the surgical field and maintains principles of asepsis. The Lead Surgical Technologist is a member of the surgical team and is directly supervised by the Registered Nurse to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
The employee must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to function in a sterile surgical environment, ability to anticipate, plan and prepare for pediatric and adult surgical procedures, be familiar with and able to operate all surgical equipment.
The employee must have the ability to recognize emergent situations and act promptly and appropriately based on the patient�s/surgeons needs.

The lead surgical technologist is responsible for communication on concerns and updates regarding instruments/supplies and perioperative processes. He/she will act as a resource to staff, and round on all of the operating rooms to assist the team with allocation of appropriate instruments, supplies and equipment, including addressing any instrument/supply/equipment issues or concerns in accordance with the OR leadership team and appropriate departments as appropriate.

In addition, the lead surgical technologist looks ahead to the next days surgery schedule, to ensure availability of appropriate instruments, supplies and equipment in accordance with OR leadership, and contacts appropriate persons including: BEH OR team, physicians, outside hospitals/companies, vendors, and central sterile processing staff. The associate will communicate with physicians� private surgical technologists for future cases. He/she will also communicate with vendors/sales reps for upcoming scheduled cases, and staff education as needed. In addition, he/she will facilitate in-services according to staff educational needs.

The lead surgical technologist preforms central sterile processing for MEC surgery and is a liaison between the MEC OR and Central Sterile Processing, which includes any issues and concerns regarding sterilizer equipment, instruments, maintenance of instrument tray lists and inventories for MEC OR items. This includes communication with vendors regarding any instrument concerns, and stocking of consignment trays. The associate oversees maintenance and repair/replacement of BEH OR instruments. In addition, he/she assists with preference card selection, and training for new surgical technologists. The lead tech

The Lead Surgical Tech maintain materials management of supplies (i.e. ordering surgery supplies and implants as needed), as well as maintains the cataract lens consignment and represents MEC OR at supply meetings as needed.

The lead surgical technologists will maintain the IMS tissue tracker inventory in the IMS database.