Surgical Technology

Essential Functions

• Feel vibrations
• Feel differences in sizes, shapes and surface characteristics
• Detect temperature and temperature differences

Clinical Examples

• Palpate pulses, detect fremitus
• Palpate vein
• Identify body landmarks
• Assess for skin turgor, rashes and skin temperature
• Detect deviations in skin temperature

Essential Functions

• Visualize objects at a close distance (e.g., information on a computer screen, skin conditions and wound dressing
• Visualize objects at a far distance (e.g., client in a room)
• Possess adequate depth perception and peripheral vision
• Distinguish color (e.g., color codes on supplies, charts and dressing drainage)
• Distinguish color intensity (e.g., flushed skin and skin paleness)

Clinical Examples

• Accurately observe changes in skin condition, including distinguishing change in skin integrity such as evidence of allergic response
  
  • Breathing patterns (including absence of respiratory movement)
  • Color intensity such as the ability to identify cyanosis or bleeding/drainage
  • Tissue swelling or edema such as with IV infiltration
• Read medication administration records as printed on medication labels, equipment calibrations, IV infusion pumps, LED output on electronic devices
  • Perform skills necessary for medication administration such as drawing up correct quantity of medication into syringe

Essential Functions

• Hear normal speaking level sounds (e.g., person-to-person report)
• Hear faint body sounds (e.g., blood pressure sounds, assess placement of tubes)
• Hear in situations when not able to see lips (e.g., when masks are used)
• Hear auditory alarms (e.g., monitors, fire alarms, call bells)
• Distinguish sounds and understand verbal communication in environments with multiple auditory inputs

Clinical Examples

• Assess
  • Vital signs
  • Changes in heart, breathing, abdominal and vascular sounds
• Recognize electronic device alarms and auditory alarms such as call bells, fire alarms, etc.

Essential Functions

• Detect odors from client (e.g., foul smelling drainage, alcohol breath, etc.)
• Detect smoke
• Detect gases or noxious smells
• Tolerate occasional unpleasant odors

Clinical Examples

• Detect odors exhibited by body fluids which may be indicative of disease processes

Essential Functions

• Move within confined spaces
• Sit and maintain balance
• Stand and maintain balance
• Reach above shoulders (e.g., IV poles)
• Reach below waist (e.g., plug electrical appliance into wall outlets, assess urine drainage)

Clinical Examples

• Administer medication accurately
• Safely care for patients to stabilize a patient's condition and/or prevent complications
• Safely move patients to administer care

Essential Functions

• Pick up objects with hands
• Coordinate eyes and hands/fingers with accuracy (e.g., drawing up medications, use roller clamp on IV tubing)
• Grasp and use small objects with hands (e.g., IV tubing, pencil, manipulate a syringe) to perform job function
• Write with a pen or pencil
• Key/type (e.g., use a computer)
• Hold and maintain instrumentation in one position for long periods of time
• Must be able to turn hands palm-up and palm-down

Clinical Examples

• Safely prepare and administer medications
• Take vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, respiratory rates, pulse oximetry
• Pick up or grasp and use small objects used in patient care
• Transmit information via electronic means as needed
• Perform learned skills such as insertion of catheters, etc.

Essential Functions

• Stand (e.g., at client side during surgical procedure)
• Sustain repetitive movements
• Maintain physical tolerance for entire work shift
• Maintain balance while performing job functions
• Be able to move freely and feel comfortable in confined areas
• Able to go without eating for periods of six to seven hours
• Must not have any open wounds or conditions on hands and/or arms

Clinical Examples

• Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (e.g., move above patient to compress chest and manually ventilate patient)
• Stand/walk to complete clinical day (i.e., eight to 12-hour shift)
• Complete assigned clinical practice within the clinical day

Essential Functions

• Push and pull 25 pounds (e.g., position clients, surgical equipment, furniture, supply carts)
• Support 25 pounds of weight (e.g., ambulate client)
• Lift 25 pounds (e.g., pick up a child, transfer client)
• Lift instrument sets weighing 20-25 pounds
• Use upper body strength (e.g., perform CPR, physically restrain a client)
• Squeeze with hands (e.g., operate fire extinguisher, use a bulb-type sphygmomanometer)

Clinical Examples

• Position patients
• Use transfer techniques in moving and lifting patients in all age groups and weights
• Assist with transporting patients

Essential Functions

• Twist
• Bend
• Stoop/squat
• Move quickly (e.g., response to an emergency)
• Climb (e.g., ladders/stools/stairs)
• Walk

Clinical Examples

• Maneuver in the patient care areas
• Move independently from room to room
• Engage in direct patient care

Essential Functions

• Teach (e.g., client/family about healthcare)
• Explain procedures
• Give oral and written reports (e.g., report on client's condition to others) in a clear and concise manner
• Interact with others (e.g., healthcare workers)
• Speak on the telephone
• Influence people
• Direct activities of others

Clinical Examples

• Communicate with patients/clients, family members and healthcare providers
• Read, speak and comprehend English
• Document clearly and correctly on patient's medical record for legal documentation
• Transmit information through written documents that use good grammar, syntax, spelling and punctuation
• Be able to access and document on the electronic medical record
• Clarify the meaning of verbal and non-verbal communication
• Use physical touch as a therapeutic non-verbal intervention
• Present oral reports
• Clarify physician orders

Essential Functions

• Interpersonal abilities essential to interact with individuals, families and groups from diverse social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds
• Make judgments based on scientific knowledge and thorough assessment of individual patient situations
• Practice in a manner that is non-judgmental and non-discriminatory
• Function as a contributing member of an interdisciplinary team
• Recognize that decision-making occurs in an environment of uncertainty and ambiguities
• Demonstrate capacity to make sound decisions when under stress

Clinical Examples

• Deliver patient care safely in a manner that is non-judgmental and non-discriminatory
• Work as a member of the patient care interdisciplinary team
• Create climate in which patients feel comfortable and able to make informed decisions about their healthcare
• Practice safe care in high-stress and/or ambiguous environments

Essential Functions

• Read and understand written documents in English

Clinical Examples

• Read and understand English printed documents (e.g., policies, protocols, standards of care)
• Read measurement marks

Essential Functions

• Read and understand columns of writing (e.g., flow sheet, charts)
• Read digital displays
• Read graphic printouts (e.g., EKG)
• Calibrate equipment
• Convert numbers to and/or from Metric System
• Read graphs (e.g., vital sign sheets)
• Tell time
• Measure time (e.g., count duration of contractions, etc.)
• Count rates (e.g., drips/minute, pulse)
• Use measuring tools (e.g., thermometer)
• Read measurement marks (e.g., measurement tapes, scales, etc.)
• Add, subtract, multiple and/or divide whole numbers
• Compute fractions (e.g., medication dosages)
• Use a calculator
• Document findings in records

Clinical Examples

• Use measurement tools recognized as central to the care of patients/clients
• Perform dosage calculations in a time frame to deliver safe care
• Assess and monitor patient status

Essential Functions

• Transfer knowledge from one situation to another
• Process information
• Evaluate outcomes
• Problem-solve
• Prioritize tasks
• Use short- and long-term memory

Clinical Examples

• Seek supervision and consultation in a timely manner
• Create and prioritize plan of care
• Handle multiple tasks and problem solve simultaneously such as taking vital signs and recording them accurately
• Assimilate and apply knowledge acquired from multiple learning experiences such as practicing skills and then applying them in the clinical setting

Essential Functions

• Identify cause-effect relationships
• Plan/control activities for others
• Synthesize knowledge and skills
• Sequence information
• Problem solve

Clinical Examples

• Prioritize tasks
• Handle multiple tasks and problem solve simultaneously
• Seek supervision and consultation in a timely manner
• Comprehend and apply abstract concepts

Essential Functions

• Negotiate interpersonal conflict
• Respect differences in clients
• Establish rapport with clients
• Establish rapport with co-workers

Clinical Examples

• Show respect for the differences in patients/clients and co-workers
• Function as a member of an interdisciplinary team (e.g., consult, negotiate, share)
• Establish rapport with patients/clients
• Participate in partnered and group efforts in classroom and clinical learning activities
• Practice in a manner that is non-judgmental and non-discriminatory
• Interact with individuals, families and groups from a variety of social, cultural and intellectual backgrounds

Essential Functions

• Establish therapeutic boundaries
• Provide clients with emotional support
• Adapt to changing environments/stress
• Deal with the unexpected (e.g., crisis)
• Focus attention on tasks
• Monitor own emotions
• Perform multiple responsibilities concurrently
• Handle strong emotions (e.g., uncertainty, grief)

Clinical Examples

• Function effectively under stress
• Assume responsibility/accountability for own actions
• Provide patient/family with emotional support
• Adapt effectively to changing environments and increasing tension levels in a variety of situations (e.g., learning, patient care, emergencies)