Surgical Assistant
hace 2 días
Chicago
Office of Dr. Richard A. Berger, Orthopedic Surgery Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH Locations Primary travel to offsite surgical facilities in: • Chesterton, IN, • Munster, IN, • Oakbrook, IL, • Lincoln Park, IL Position Summary The OR Surgical Assistant will provide intraoperative, perioperative, and supporting services to Dr. Berger in orthopedic surgical cases across multiple offsite locations. The role requires frequent travel, flexibility, and ability to work seamlessly across different surgical facilities. The Surgical Assistant works under the direct supervision of the orthopedic surgeon, collaborating with operating room teams, anesthesia, nursing, and support staff to ensure safe, efficient, and high‑quality patient care. Key Responsibilities & Duties: Preoperative / Preparation • Review the surgical schedule in advance, obtain the case history, imaging, special instrumentation or implant needs, • Coordinate with the surgical facility / hospital staff to ensure OR setup, sterile instruments, implants, and disposables are available, • Assist with patient positioning, prepping, skin sterilization, and draping, • Verify patient identity, operative site, and consent documentation in conjunction with surgeon, • Serve as the first or second assistant (as permitted by state/facility) — help retract, suction, maintain exposure, assist with instrumentation, suture / close layers, place drains or devices, apply dressings, • Anticipate surgeon’s needs, pass instruments, manage implants, and maintain operative efficiency, • Monitor tissue handling, maintain hemostasis, assist with cautery, irrigation, and suction, • Assist in the insertion, positioning, and securing of orthopedic fixation devices, grafts, screws, plates, etc., • Coordinate with scrub techs, circulators, anesthesia, and other OR staff, • Assist during intraoperative imaging (fluoroscopy) and navigation if applicable, • Assist in applying final dressings, splints, or immobilization devices, • Aid with patient transfer to recovery area (PACU), • Clean, decontaminate, and turnover the OR between cases as needed, • Liaise with facility staff, vendors, and implant reps to ensure appropriate setup, • Manage scheduling logistics, travel time, and resource mobilization between sites, • Communicate proactively about delays, equipment needs, or facility constraints, • Adhere strictly to aseptic technique, sterile field integrity, infection control, and OR safety protocols, • Participate in preoperative time-outs, surgical checklists, and site verification, • Comply with facility, state, and federal regulatory requirements (e.g. OSHA, HIPAA, JCAHO), • Report adverse events, near misses, or safety issues promptly Education / Training • Graduate of an accredited Surgical Technology program, or equivalent training (certified surgical technologist preferred), • Additional training or experience as a First Assistant / surgical assistant in orthopedic cases preferred, • Minimum 1–4 years of surgical assisting or scrub tech experience, ideally in orthopedic surgery, • Experience with orthopedic instrumentation, implant systems, fixation hardware, and grafts, • Prior exposure to multiple surgical facility settings or mobile/rotating OR assignments preferred, • Excellent manual dexterity, hand‑eye coordination, and instrument handling, • Strong understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy, orthopedic techniques, and implant systems, • Ability to anticipate surgeon needs and adapt to changing procedural demands, • Familiarity with surgical safety checklists, sterile technique, and OR protocols, • Highly dependable, flexible, and comfortable with frequent travel and variable work sites, • Strong communication and teamwork skills; ability to integrate into different OR teams, • Excellent time management, organizational, and multitasking capabilities, • Ability to work under pressure, in a fast-paced surgical environment, • Able to stand for extended periods (many hours), • Capable of lifting and maneuvering surgical instrument trays, equipment, and implants (e.g. up to 50‑75 lbs), • Bending, reaching, stretching, and fine motor work throughout procedures, • Must be willing to travel regularly to offsite surgical facilities (Chesterton, Oakbrook, Lincoln Park, Pleasant Prairie), • Valid driver's license and ability to drive between sites, • Flexibility to accommodate variable OR start times, occasional overnight stays, or extended hours Reporting & Supervision • Reports directly to Dr. Richard A. Berger (, • Works collaboratively with OR leadership, facility surgical directors, and nursing teams, • Full‑time position, • Variable schedule according to surgical case volume and site assignments, • May require early start times, late finishes, occasional weekends or call when needed, • Work across different hospital/ambulatory surgery centers with variable facility protocols Compensation & Benefits • Competitive salary or hourly compensation with travel premium, • Health, dental, vision insurance, • Retirement plan / 401(k), • Paid time off, CME, • Professional liability / malpractice coverage, • Surgical case efficiency and turnover times, • Reduction in delays caused by instrument/implant logistics, • Error-free implant tracking, count reconciliation, and documentation, • Positive feedback from surgical teams and facility staff, • Adherence to safety and quality protocols, • Reliability in cross-site logistics, minimal downtime