Surgical Technician

Makes members/patients and their needs a primary focus of ones actions; develops and sustains productive member/patient relationships. Actively seeks information to understand member/patient circumstances, problems, expectations, and needs. Builds rapport and cooperative relationship with members/patients. Considers how actions or plans will affect members; responds quickly to meet member/patient needs and resolves problems.

• This position, knows and complies with all Kaiser Permanente quality, safety, and emergency policies and procedures. Demonstrates quality and effectiveness in work habits and clinical practice in every interaction with patients, colleagues, providers, and leadership. Ensures patient safety in the preparation and provisioning of care related to but not limited to medications, procedures, infection prevention, fall prevention, including consistent use of two patient identifiers and procedural time outs. Reports safety hazards, accidents and incidents, and unsafe working conditions promptly.


• Functions as a team member, collaborates, and demonstrates positive interpersonal relationships with physicians, circulating nurse, central supply staff, and other health care/support staff in the preoperative arena.


• Accurately identifies and sets up equipment, instruments, and supplies necessary for each surgical procedure based on assessment of need using appropriate resources, such as physician preference card, departmental routine, and/or standards of care (e.g. AORN standards) in a timely manner to meet the demands of the surgery schedule.


• Sets up and maintains a sterile field in preparation for surgical procedure and during delivery of instruments, equipment and supplies to surgeon intraoperatively, by demonstrating competency in the principles of surgical had scrubbing, aseptic technique and sterilization. Immediately reports and corrects break in technique.


• Anticipates physician, surgical team, and patient needs throughout procedure and adapts to changes quickly & effectively, including emergency responses.


• Utilizes universal precautions appropriately. Endures appropriate safety measures taken for the patient, including but not limited to: accurate sponge, sharps, and instrument counts, handling of specimens, proper use/handling of implants; use of electrocautery; use of lasers, verification, labeling and handling of medications/ irrigation fluids and reports time and appropriate dosages/amounts of administration to circulator, proper and safe use of all electrical devices and equipment; appropriate positioning of patient, safe moving and transporting of patients, and safe and appropriate use of surgical instruments and equipment, etc.


• Identifies and immediately intervenes with the use of any malfunctioning equipment and promptly isolates and labels equipment and reports it to the appropriate person.


• Continuously update physician preference card; assists with and expedites room set up and clean up, assists with patient care activities and other duties as assigned.


• In addition to defined technical requirements, accountable for consistently demonstrating service behaviors and principles defined by the Kaiser Permanente Service Quality Credo, the KP Mission as well as specific departmental/organizational initiatives. Also accountable for consistently demonstrating the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors necessary to provide superior and culturally sensitive service to each other, to our members, and to purchasers, contracted providers and vendors.