Theatre support worker (HCA)

Job overview

To assist in the care of the patient in theatre.

To assist the surgical team within the theatre environment.

Main duties of the job

To assist the surgical team within the theatre environment.

To assist in the care of the patient in theatre.

To help clean, restock and maintain a sterile environment.

To assist in the transport of patients to the operating theatre.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To assist the surgical team within the theatre environment.

To assist in the care of the patient in theatre.

To help clean, restock and maintain a sterile environment.

To assist in the transport of patients to the operating theatre.

• Communicate with patients and their families to include patients with learning difficulties and paediatric patients, in order to promote their comfort and well-being by supporting them in a pre-operative or anaesthetic room whilst awaiting surgery.
• Communicate with other members of the organisation and respond appropriately.
• Assist with patient transfer to and from the department if required.
• Assist with transfer of patients within the department.
• Assist with manual handling and transferring of patients complying with the Trust Moving and Handling policy.
• Report accidents/incidents to nurse in charge and complete appropriate Trust documentation.
• Report defective equipment and take necessary steps to ensure safety of staff and patients.
• Chaperone Medical Staff.
• Obtain and label specimens from within the sterile field as delegated by a scrub nurse (e.g. body fluids, wound swabs, tissue).
• Assist with last offices for deceased patients.
• Adhere to the Trust uniform policy and maintain a professional image.
• Carry out designated tasks as part of the team for which appropriate training has been given.
• Maintenance of appropriate patient records and Trust documentation.
• Use the theatre computer system for patient administration.
• May be requested to take photographic images of patients wounds to add to patient documentation.
• To assist in the maintenance of the sterile field during operative procedures.
• To perform circulating duties and provide the scrub team with sterile consumables, accurate, effectively and in a safe manner.
• To set up specialist surgical equipment i.e. lasers, camera systems, microscopes, operating tables and fluid management systems.
• Assist the team in maintaining the privacy and dignity issues of patients and staff, and ensure all known cultural beliefs are adhered to.
• Maintain absolute confidentiality in respect of all medical and nursing records and also interpersonal issues with colleagues.

General Tasks

• Adhere to the Trust policy for the safe keeping of patients’ personal possessions.
• Follow agreed Trust Guidelines and Policies.
• To positively contribute to a happy and efficient environment for the physical, social and psychological well-being of both patients and colleagues.
• Undertake cleaning and correct storage of equipment at the direction of the Scrub nurse.
• Assist with unpacking and checking of stores as required.
• Answer telephone and bleeps in the correct manner and take messages as appropriate.
• Assist in the general cleanliness and tidiness of theatre area including sluice and storerooms.
• Following appropriate training and when deemed competent use equipment within own department at the direction of nurse in charge.
• Participate in an annual performance review.
• Understand the importance of fire precautions and is aware of hospital policy regarding emergency procedures for example fire, cardiac arrest and major incident.
• Attend in-service Training and other training programmes as required.
• Attend departmental meetings.

Addendum

• Participate in circulating duties under the supervision of trained theatre staff
• To undertake working shifts as agreed with the sister in charge
• Collect sets and instruments for operating lists
• Make requests to the Sterile Services Department for instrumentation required.
• Work as a member of the theatre team
• To maintain stocks of specimen containers
• Carry out date checks on sterile instruments and report any discrepancies
• To assist with the calculation of blood loss for patients in theatre and report promptly to the scrub nurse excessive loss
• Frequent exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances whilst participating as a member of the theatre team
• Able to stand for long periods of time and engage in frequent moving and handling of patients, equipment and instrument trays.