Melani Hooten
Fort Worth
Summary
Experienced military medical professional with successful background in operating room settings from 2015 to now. Adept in sterile technique and aseptic technique, patient safety, and surgical instrumentation. Proven track record of anticipating surgical needs and providing support to surgeons and other OR staff. Demonstrated ability to handle emergency situations with poise, accuracy, and efficiency.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Tissue Recovery Technician
LifeGift
- Assist in the preparation of the operating room suite and prepare the donor for the aseptic surgical tissue recovery process
- Utilize aseptic technique to assist in all aspects of cadaver tissue recovery according to established guidelines
- Assist in the performance of each step in the collection, culturing, packaging, and labeling of tissues as well as the body reconstruction and disposition after procurement
- Maintain proper records relating to tissue recovery and be available for call during scheduled shifts as assigned.
Certified Surgical Technician
Bear Creek Surgery Center
07.2024 - Current
- Assisted in successful surgeries by setting up operating rooms with appropriate instruments, supplies, and equipment for each procedure.
- Gathered and set up equipment, tools, and supplies and arrange instruments according to surgeons' preferences or instruction.
- Maintained sterile fields by following aseptic techniques and adhering to infection control protocols.
- Followed OSHA, FDA and AAMI guidelines related to sterilization in compliance with administrative regulations.
- Wrapped trays, instrument packs, and sets.
- Supported surgical teams effectively by preparing instrument trays according to procedure requirements.
Sterile Processing Technician
Baystate Wing Hospital
03.2024 - Current
- Prioritized and assembled standard and complex surgical instrumentation sets for surgical schedule
- Cleaned, sterilized and distributed supplies and instruments used in patient care
- Demonstrated excellent communication skills while interacting with staff members and physicians
- Performed decontamination, assembly, packaging, sterilization and storage of surgical instrumentation according to established procedures
- Inspected returned instruments for damage or wear prior to reprocessing them for reuse
- Trained new employees on proper techniques associated with decontamination and sterilization processes
- Comprehensively reviewed manufacturer's instructions before using any new products or devices
- Disassembled complex instrument sets in preparation for cleaning, sterilization and reassembly
- Participated actively in staff meetings providing suggestions for improvement of processes within the department.
Labor and Delivery Surgical Technician / Secretary
Cooley Dickinson Hospital
06.2022 - 02.2023
- Scrubbed into scheduled and emergent c-sections
- Prepared vaginal delivery tables
- Took inventory of unit to keep items up to par
- Answered phone calls and made appointments for future deliveries
- Secretary for the unit
- Only one secretary/surgical tech worked per shift.
Sterile Processing Technician
United States Air Force
07.2015 - 07.2019
- Received, decontaminated, and cleaned soiled patient care items
- Assembled, wrapped, and sterilized instrument sets, supplies, and linen packs
- Competent with Sterrad, steam sterilizers, automated reprocessers (medivators and sterris), ultrasonics, cart washer, censitrac
- Created and updated count sheets for new instruments
- Evaluated case carts ensuring all instruments and sterile items were correctly pulled and made missing items list for sterile processing department to turnover items ensuring that the rooms have no delays
- Accomplished routine safety checks and preventative maintenance
- Evaluated daily sterilization records for completion and accuracy
- Ensured instruments sets per month meet national infection control regulation and standards.
Operations Supervisor /Surgical Scrub Technician
United States Air Force
06.2015 - 06.2019
- Oversaw daily scheduling of 15 technicians
- Secured manning coverage for 9 surgical specialty departments, 26 surgeons, and 230,000 Tricare beneficiaries
- Established necessary practical, technical, or specialized skills required for the role of the surgical technician in accordance with AST (Association of Surgical Technologist)
- Instructed 21 surgical service apprentice phase 2 students
- Observed 143 tasks
- Received 'Preceptor of Excellence' award
- Head Instructor for surgical technician aspect of spine
- Trained 15 scrub technicians
- Trained how to prepare sterile instruments, supplies, and equipment of draped tables, stand, and microscopes for spine
- Demonstrated basic knowledge and understanding of surgical procedures to enable proper performance of scrub duties and to anticipate the needs of the surgeon
- Assisted nurses in updating Surgeon's preference cards to expedite turn over time and ensure patient safety.
Education
English -
Bunker Hill Community College
Boston, MASurgical Technician -
Community College of The Air Force
02.2016
Skills
- Case cart assembly
- Computerized tracking
- Diagnostic Testing
- Sterilization procedures
- Equipment monitoring
- Supply Management
- Assembling case carts
- Specimen Collection
- Pre-surgical preparation
- Setting up and operating equipment
- Aseptic Techniques
- Patient transportation
- Pre- and post-surgical counts
- Preoperative Checklists
- Surgical instrument knowledge
- Sterile technique proficiency
- Surgical procedure familiarity
- Time Management
- Surgical Technologist (CST)
Certification
- National Certification as a Certified Surgical Technologist
- Basic Life Support
References
References available upon request
Timeline
Certified Surgical Technician
Bear Creek Surgery Center
07.2024 - Current
Sterile Processing Technician
Baystate Wing Hospital
03.2024 - Current
Labor and Delivery Surgical Technician / Secretary
Cooley Dickinson Hospital
06.2022 - 02.2023
Sterile Processing Technician
United States Air Force
07.2015 - 07.2019
Operations Supervisor /Surgical Scrub Technician
United States Air Force
06.2015 - 06.2019
Tissue Recovery Technician
LifeGift
English -
Bunker Hill Community College
Surgical Technician -
Community College of The Air Force
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