Job responsibilities
OUTLINE OF JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Theatre Assistant
GRADE: Band 2
RESPONSIBLE TO: Band 5 Theatre Practitioner
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Band 6 Team Leader
CLINICAL SERVICE UNIT: Theatres and Anaesthetic Directorate
JOB PURPOSE:
The post holder will work as part of a theatre peri-operative, anaesthetic or recovery team.
To assist the trained Operating Theatre staff to care for patients undergoing surgery, examination or treatment, following the completion of relevant training.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. TRANSPORTATION
To prepare, clean and check patient trolley/bed.
To convey patients between the ward and operating department.
To assist with the safe lifting, turning and positioning of patients.
2. HOUSEKEEPING
To help prepare, clean and stock the operating department and associated areas, prior to, during and after procedures.
Check, change and restock medical gas cylinders.
Provide general assistance to multi-disciplinary team in the operating rooms e.g. adjust lights, collect additional instruments and restock fluid cabinets.
3. TECHNICAL
To undertake circulation duties e.g. tying gowns, opening sterile packs and assisting with swab, instrument and needle counts.
Provide a messenger service within the department.
To assist with the completion of documents and computer data collection sheets.
After receiving appropriate training, preparation of patients.
To help with the washing/decontamination, checking, lubricating, packing and sterilisation of surgical instruments.
To operate, load and unload autoclaves.
Any other duties relevant to the post as assigned by Theatre Manager or their deputy.
4. PATIENT CARE
To assist the qualified theatre staff to assess, implement, evaluate and
record care given to patients undergoing surgery, examination or
treatment.
To assist in compiling the theatre register, recovery register and ORMIS theatre information system.
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The post holder would only be asked to perform these duties after they have received formal and documented education and training.
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On Call:
The post holder will be required to work in accordance with service needs. They will participate in the on call rota depending based on the requirements of the service.
This job description is designed to cover all aspects of operating theatre work and post holders will only be required to work in unfamiliar areas after receiving appropriate training. This is not an exhaustive list of duties and a regular review will take place with the post holder as part of their ongoing development and performance management.
NO SMOKING
The Trust has a No Smoking policy, all Trust premises are considered as non-smoking zones.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Your attention is drawn to the confidential nature of information collected within the NHS. The unauthorised use or disclosure of patient or other personal information is a dismissible offence and could result in prosecution for an offence or action for civil damages under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Trust is an Equal Opportunity employer. Its aim is to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, marital status, religion, colour, race, nationality, disability, ethnic or sexual orientation, nor to be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable, including age restrictions.
Please note that it is unlawful to discriminate/harass individuals on any of the above grounds and employees can be held personally liable as well as, or instead of, the Trust.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
All staff are expected to follow Trust Policies and Procedures relating to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
INFECTION PREVENTION
Staff will work to minimise any risk to clients, the public and other staff from Healthcare Associated Infection including MRSA and C. difficile by ensuring that they are compliant with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for the prevention and control of Healthcare Associated Infections (The Hygiene Code); and by ensuring that they are familiar with the Trusts Infection Prevention and Control policies located on the Intranet.
SAFEGUARDING
We all have personal and a professional responsibility within the Trust to identify and report abuse. The abuse may be known, suspected, witnessed or be limited to raised concerns. Early recognition is vital to ensuring the patient is safeguarded and any other people (children and vulnerable adults) who may be at risk. The Trusts procedures must be implemented, working in partnership with the relevant authorities/partner agencies. The sharing of information no matter how small is of prime importance in safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an employee of the Trust you have the responsibility to ensure that: -
a) You are familiar with and adhere to the Trusts procedures and guidelines for safeguarding children and adults at risk.
b) You attend safeguarding training /competence and undertake additional training in relation to safeguarding relevant to your role and responsibilities.
TRUST VALUES
The Trust has developed a set of values which will apply to all staff. You will be expected to conduct yourself at all times in line with the values and the behaviour framework which underpins them. This includes the delivery of safe, high quality, caring services to our patients and colleagues.
STAFF MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
You are responsible for putting in place mechanisms for monitoring the Trust policies, procedures and protocols and to ensure that these are routinely being followed by staff
You must undertake annual appraisal and develop personal development plans for all staff for whom you have line management responsibility
STAFF ENGAGEMENT
To engage with all staff on the design and delivery of services. This means listening to and involving staff in decisions that affect them and the service that they provide.
OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
From time to time during the normal course of employment you as an employee may generate IP which may have value in the delivery of better patient care. This IP can be in the form of inventions, discoveries, surgical techniques or methods, developments, processes, schemes, formulae, specifications, or any other improvements which may give rise to certain rights such as patents, trademarks, service marks, design rights, copyright, know-how, trade or business names and other similar rights (all of the foregoing being referred to as Intellectual Property Rights).
Where such IP is created in the course of your employment or normal duties then under UK law it will generally belong to the Trust, unless agreed otherwise in writing between you and the Trust. In relation to inventions potentially subject to patent protection this applies only if the duties of your employment would normally have been expected to give rise to inventions or if the nature of your responsibilities and duties are such that you are under a special responsibility to further the interests of the Trust. It is a condition of your employment not to exploit any IP Rights without the specific approval of your line manager, who will need to obtain advice on a case by case basis. In addition, you are also required to give the Trust all reasonable assistance required by the Trust in order to give full effect to this clause.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
Every staff member has a responsibility to contribute to the reduction of the Trusts carbon footprint through their actions at work and their travel to and from work. All staff must ensure they minimise consumption of energy and reduce unnecessary transport, waste and water usage during the course of their duties.
Note
This job description is an outline only and may be amended to take account of changes within the department following discussion with the post holder.
The above duties and responsibilities are intended to represent current priorities and are not meant to be a conclusive list. The post holder may from time to time be asked to undertake other reasonable duties. Any changes will be made in discussion with the post holder in the light of service needs and will be commensurate with the banding and competencies of the post.
