Surgical First Assistant

Job responsibilities

To perform operating department duties under the direction of the Theatre Team Lead and assist the Consultants and work colleagues in a professional manner to ensure the smooth running, efficiency and high standards of patient care and safety. To maintain professional and individual accountability.

Surgical First Assistants (SFA) practice as part of the surgical team, under the direct supervision of the operating surgeon. Scrub skills would be an advantage.

The post holder will perform and assist in all aspects of surgical procedures to an expert level in line with personal competencies. They will be a point of knowledge for junior team members and act as a mentor to health professionals who wish to gain competencies within the field of surgery. The post holder will work with consultants in delivering and maintaining a high standard of surgical care before, during and after surgery.

Spencer Private Hospitals undertake a multiplicity of surgical procedures which include but are not limited to general surgery, orthopaedics gynaecology, urology, ENT and colorectal patients.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The SFA is clinically responsible to the consultant surgeon - working under the direction and supervision of the consultant surgeon as a member of the surgical team.

The SFA is professionally accountable for their own actions and advanced practice and must comply with the local policies and procedures of the Trust and work within the boundaries of personal competencies and professional codes of performance, conduct and ethics.

Line Manager is the Theatre Sister

Work in close liaison with the Theatre staff and Consultant users

Liaison with staffing agencies and other hospital departments, wards, porters

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

To work within the recognised role and framework as published by the Royal College of Surgeons for Surgical Care Practitioners and adhere to their voluntary code of conduct (RCS The surgical team 2014)

To provide competent, skilled assistance to the operating surgeon during the intra-operative period, undertaking advanced practice and highly specialised skills required for a wide spectrum of cases.

To have specialist and expert knowledge of human anatomy/physiology in relation to the surgery being undertaken.

Support and promote the development of clinical capability within your team and its application in delivery of service outputs.

Utilise appropriate tools, routines and behaviours to coach and develop the capability of your team to do a little every day to improve and deliver exceptional care aligned to the Spencer Hospitals strategic priority domains.

You will play a pivotal role in ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care and maintaining professional standards within the theatre setting. This is an exciting opportunity for a compassionate, forward-thinking, experienced SFA who is ready to be part of a skilled team, with a family atmosphere.

Personal/Professional Development

To take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve your professional knowledge and competence

To participate in personal objective setting and review, including the creation of a personal development plan and the Trusts appraisal process.

Clinical

Be accountable in the participation of operational and decision-making processes in theatre

Organise a smooth efficient work pattern within the theatres with maximum efficiency of the resources available

Participate as a member of the theatre team and to carry out safety checks on swabs, instruments, blades, needles etc

Act as circulating (runner) member of the theatre team when required

Assist in the preparation of theatre instrument sets and consumables.

Aid the Consultant Anaesthetist as anaesthetic assistant.

To be familiar with WHO Surgical safety checklist and ensure compliance within the team.

To comply with theatre safety and operational policies in relation to swabs, instruments, blades and needles counts, storage and administration of drugs, diathermy and radiation

To administer controlled drugs in accordance with the Spencer Private Hospitals policy

To report promptly any accidents, incidents, complaints or unplanned occurrences to the Theatre Manager or Matron and be competent in using the Datix system of incident reporting.

To co-operate with all departments within the Hospital to promote a unified approach to patient care

To maintain suitable standards of hygiene, cleanliness and tidiness in the work environment

To complete the Operating register / theatreman / Sunrise accurately

To complete Patient Charge Forms for each patient.

To scrub for surgical cases as required and in line with competencies.

To assist consultants in surgery as per SFA role

Key recommendations to ensure safe surgical practice.

The role of the SFA should be undertaken by someone who has successfully completed a validated university programme of study that meets the nationally recognised standards (CODP 2018, AfPP 2016, CODP 2011), underpinning the knowledge and skills required for the role.

SFAs must ensure that they have appropriate indemnity cover.

The SFA scope of practice may be extended in line with service need

The SFAs name and designation must be recorded within the perioperative documentation.

The practitioner acting as Scrub Practitioner must be focused upon the management of the intraoperative care required by the patient and therefore must not assume the additional duties such as that of the SFA.

The practitioner acting as Scrub Practitioner must be focused upon the management of the intraoperative care required by the patient and therefore must not assume the additional duties such as that of the SFA.

In the event, that an employer considers that a dual role is required in minor surgery, then this must only be undertaken by a registered practitioner and the decision should be endorsed by a policy that fully supports this practice and should also be based on a risk assessment of each situation to ensure patient safety.

The policy and risk assessment should identify the skills, knowledge and competencies required and the category of surgery and situations for which the employing organisation determines the dual role as acceptable. If this is not in place, as part of an effective clinical governance framework, then scrub practitioners must NOT undertake SFA duties in a dual role.

Roles and Responsibilities

Surgical First Assistant Assisting with patient positioning, should include tissue viability assessment

Skin preparation and draping prior to surgery

Superficial skin and tissue retraction with cutting of superficial sutures

Handling of tissue and manipulation of organs for exposure or access

Nerve and deep tissue retraction (The SFA can only move or place retractors under the direct supervision of the operating surgeon)

Cutting of deep sutures and ligatures under direct supervision of the operating surgeon

Assisting with haemostasis in order to secure and maintain a clear operating field including indirect application of surgical diathermy by the surgeon

Use of suction as guided by the operating surgeon

Camera manipulation for minimal invasive access surgery

Application of dressings as required

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Provide highly specialised emergency knowledge
• Remain alert and focused for long periods of time
• Long periods of peri-operative concentration
• Highly developed physical/clinical skills where accuracy is important

Qualifications

Essential

• Operating Department Practitioner
• RGN Level 1 / C&G 752/ODP Level 3
• Qualified Surgical First Assistant
• Current registration with Nursing and Midwifery Council or Health Care Profession Council

Desirable

• Diploma in Health Care Studies
• Registered Independent & Supplementary non-medical prescriber or working towards
• Masters level education or working towards
• Teaching or mentoring qualification
• Clinical Skills Module

Experience

Essential

• Ability to assess, plan and evaluate patient care
• Knowledge of research and evidence-based practice
• Catalyst for change
• Teaching and assessing/mentorship, or willing to undertake Knowledge of CQC
• HLS Teaching (Anaes)
• Assist consultants during operations
• Substantial specialist experience post accreditation
• Proven hands-on surgical experience
• Appropriate experience acquired to demonstrate a high level of clinical skill and excellent manual dexterity

Desirable

• Multiskilling - demonstrate competency in surgery / anaesthetics and recovery

Other

Essential

• Manual handling of patients and manoeuvring heavy instrumentation and equipment
• Frequent unpleasant working conditions; contact with body fluids, foul linen daily
• Daily contact with substances hazardous to health

Skills

Essential

• IT skills
• Committed team player
• Ability to deal with emergency situations within operating theatre department
• Checking patients documentation

Desirable

• Leadership, interpersonal and organisational skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).