Operating Room Technician I

Offers of employment are contingent upon passing a background investigation.

San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.  For more information go to Equal Employment Opportunity Division (sjgov.org).

Accommodations for those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

• Carries out the more routine surgical scrub duties according to recommended procedures. 
• Checks surgical schedules and assignments; prepares the operating room, supplies, and equipment. 
• Obtains extra supplies, instruments and equipment when needed during a surgical procedure. 
• Prepares preoperative sites and drapes patients according to established procedure to provide an ample sterile field. 
• Provides routine surgical scrub assistance and related technical support procedures according to recommended procedures; handles instruments, sponges, sutures, catheters, drains, and dressings in such a manner as to ensure medical and surgical asepsis and safety to the patient; assists in performing sponge, needle, and instrument counts. 
• Assists in the care, preparation, and maintenance of sterile and unsterile supplies; checks, cleans, and stores surgical instruments; organizes supplies for scheduled and emergency cases; stocks sterile supplies in operating room; assists in taking inventories of equipment and supplies. 
• Assists in application of casts; assembles and prepares setup for external fixation of fractures and application of casts. 
• Assists in lifting, positioning and transporting patients. 
• May assist in cleaning of the operating room.

Basic anatomy and physiology; basic nursing procedures, including principles of aseptic techniques and infection control; basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation; various types of instruments and supplies used in an inpatient hospital setting.

Work under physical and mental stress for several hours; exercise a reasonable amount of manual dexterity in the handling of surgical instruments and supplies; lift and transport patients, supplies and equipment; understand and carry out instructions of medical and nursing staff, often under tense and emergency situations; maintain simple inventory records of surgical instruments and supplies; prepare used supplies for cleaning or disposal and order needed supplies; work effectively as a member of a specialized team.

Mobility-Constant standing for long periods of time; frequent walking required; occasional pushing/pulling; occasional bending/squatting; occasional stair climbing and crawling. Lifting- Frequent lifting duties required of 5lbs; occasional lifting duties required of 5 to 70 lbs.; occasional lifting/turning of heavy objects and/or people. Vision- Constant reading, color perception, eye/hand coordination, depth perception, close up work and field of vision/peripheral. Dexterity- Constant hearing and talking in person. Emotional/Psychological- Constant concentration; occasional exposure to grief/ trauma and emergency situations; frequent decision making; occasional contact with hazardous materials. Environmental Conditions- Frequent noise.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will go through the following examination process:

• Written Exam: The civil service written exam is a multiple choice format.  If the written exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list. 

• Oral Exam:   The oral exam is a structured interview process that will assess the candidate’s education, training, and experience and may include a practical exercise.   The oral exam selection process is not a hiring interview.   A panel of up to four people will determine the candidate’s score and rank for placement on the eligible list.  Top candidates from the eligible list are referred for hiring interviews.  If the oral exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list. 

• Written & Oral Exam:  If both a written exam and an oral exam is administered, the written exam is weighted at 60% and the oral exam is weighted at 40% unless otherwise indicated on the announcement.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% on each examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.

• Rate-out:  A rate-out is an examination that involves a paper rating of the candidate’s application using the following criteria: education, training, and experience. Candidates will not be scheduled for the rate-out process. 

Note:  The rating of 70 referred to may be the same or other than an arithmetic 70% of the total possible points.

Online Written Exams:  Written exams may be administered online. Candidates will be notified of the examination date and will be responsible to complete the written exam within a given period of time (typically within five calendar days). Candidates are required to read the Online Exam Guide for Test Takers prior to taking an online written exam.