The following are specific guidelines for the functioning and responsibilities of Surgical Care Assistants assigned to the Operating Room/Post Anesthesia Care Unit/Preoperative Services.

Responsibilities

1. Care of Scrub Areas and Clean Utility Rooms: Replenish and arrange neatly scrub brushes, hoods, caps, masks and booties. Maintain cleanliness of shelves, work counters and utility carts.

Maintain blood bank and drug refrigerators:

A) Check and record temperature of medication and nourishment daily.

B) Check blood bank and drug refrigerator daily.

C) Defrost refrigerator and Clean thoroughly once a week.

Maintain of solution and warmer cabinets.

A) Replenish and arrange neatly blankets, gowns and sheets.

B) Replenish stock levels of solutions.

C) Clean warmer cabinet once daily.

2. Distribute processed instrument sets, equipment and supplies in appropriate work and storage area. Keep containers and storage areas clean and in proper order; Clean shelves weekly and as often as necessary. Maintain and change gas cylinders. Maintain cleanliness of counters and work areas.

3. Care of Special Surgical Equipment, Instruments and Supplies: Monitors par levels and replenishes stock. Ensures every operating room has a Surgicounter on the dock and cleans the Surgicounter during room turnover.

4. Care of Soiled Utility Rooms: Maintain cleanliness and orderliness of shelves, drawers and counters, suction bottle liners, etc. Check and replenish stock levels of specimen containers, disinfecting solutions, plastic bags, cleaning supplies etc.

5. Damp dust storage shelves for unsterile linen as often as is necessary. Distribute equal supply of patient gowns, blankets, sheets and wrappers in all storage areas; fold and arrange neatly.

6. Maintain cleanliness, organization of stock room, equipment room and other storage areas. Check and distribute supplies from General Stores in appropriate storage areas. Accept delivery of pharmacy solutions and supplies and distribute to all appropriate storage areas. Ensure all tanks of compressed gases are secured by approved methods Maintains prep supplies for assigned rooms.

7. Routine specimens: Ensure to document in the marble book and log book when the specimen is sent out of the specialty area.

Frozen section specimens:

A) Take frozen section specimens immediately to Pathology Department, stamp the pathology form and notify the pathologist the specimen is there.

Specimens for Radiology:

A) Take specimen to Radiology Department for X-ray.

B) Take specimen to Pathology Department for frozen section following completion of x-ray.

8. Transport the pre-operative patient to the holding area or appropriate surgical suite or procedure room. Take pre-operative patient from patient holding are to the assigned O.R. Assist in moving, positioning, and patient safety as needed. Provide recovery room bed with 02 for each patient. Assist in moving the post-operative patient to the appropriate post-operative area. Assures availability of all equipment appropriate for transport of patient.

9. Transport blood and or blood products to and from the surgical suite as directed by the surgical team member. 2. Transport blood specimens and other stat specimens to the appropriate laboratory or send VIA Pneumatic system as directed by the surgical team member.

10. Clean stretcher with appropriate solution and change linen after transporting each patient. Clean all parts of all stretchers, including the base and wheels with appropriate solution weekly. Keep all stretcher equipment complete and in good working order, report need for repair. 4. Provide the appropriate transport equipment (stretcher/wheelchair/ bariatric bed) according to the patient needs as directed by the surgical team.

11. Assist with maintaining cleanliness of the Operating Rooms and environment including O.R. bathrooms Assist Scrub Person and Circulator with room turnover. Clean positioning equipment with appropriate solution and return to appropriate storage area. Clean the Operating Room after each procedure following O.R. cleaning protocol.

12. Assist scrub and circulator with gathering and set up of supplies and equipment. Place necessary furniture and equipment in the Operating Room. Set up suction canisters with tubing, assist as directed with electro cautery, video equipment, laser equipment and other required items. Retrieve appropriate positioning equipment and assist in positioning patient.

Qualifications

• Education Requirements
• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Experience Requirements
• Previous experience in a healthcare setting preferred
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