NATALIE GALLOWAY
Huntingdon,PA
Summary
Dedicated Certified Surgical Technologist and Certified Sterile Processing Technician with 25 years of diverse experience in outpatient and hospital settings. Skilled in managing operating room protocols, preparing surgical instruments, and ensuring effective sterilization processes. Strong background in orthopedics and multiple surgical specialties. Recognized for exemplary communication and problem-solving abilities, fostering positive relationships and enhancing team success.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Certified Surgical Technologist
Penn Highlands Healthcare
State College, Pennsylvania
08.2024 - Current
- Prepared and maintained sterile field for surgical procedures.
- Passed instruments and sterile supplies to surgeon during operation to support efficient workflow and surgical precision.
- Arranged surgical equipment, tools, and supplies for procedures and organized instruments according to surgeons' preference cards.
- Positioned patients on operating table and secured them with sterile drapes to maintain safety and hygiene standards.
- Collaborated with surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and scrub techs to ensure seamless operations in the OR environment.
Certified Sterile Processing Technician
Penn Highlands Healthcare
State College, Pennsylvania
08.2024 - Current
- Collected, cleaned, and sterilized instruments for Penn Highlands Healthcare case turnover.
- Sterilized medical equipment and properly handled contaminated materials.
- Verified surgical trays, implants, and supplies for Penn Highlands Healthcare operations.
- Ensured that all equipment was functioning properly prior to use in the operating room.
- Maintained reusable surgical instrumentation and equipment, including decontamination, cleaning, sterilizing, storing and distributing.
- Supported team communication and coordinated workflow in Penn Highlands Healthcare operating rooms.
- Provided instruction on proper techniques of handling instruments to new team members.
- Collaborated with vendors and service providers to coordinate required services and equipment.
Surgical Technologist
Advanced Center for Surgery
Altoona, PA
01.2024 - 08.2024
- Provided surgical assistance and support to surgeons by anticipating their needs, passing instruments and supplies during orthopedic, podiatry, and otorhinolaryngology procedures.
- Established and upheld sterile operating fields to prevent infection.
- Maintained counts of needles, instruments, and sponges during surgery.
- Positioned patients for optimal surgical access and safety.
- Disposed of medical supplies and waste, cleaned and sanitized operating rooms between cases following OSHA guidelines.
- Cleaned and sterilized instruments and equipment.
- Organized and prepared surgical supplies and equipment for next day's operations.
- Communicated effectively with surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and scrub techs while performing duties in the OR environment.
- Assisted in positioning patients on operating table and covered them with sterile drapes.
- Cleansed and disinfected operating rooms after procedures were completed.
- Provided support services such as stocking supplies in OR rooms or restocking carts between cases.
- Sterilized medical equipment and properly handled contaminated materials.
- Monitored sterilization process for surgical instruments or equipment used during procedures.
- Inspected instruments post-operatively for proper function or damage before returning them to stock room.
- Prepared dressings or bandages, applying or assisting with application following surgery.
- Adhered to OSHA protocols when sterilizing instruments, discarding medical supplies and disposing of waste.
Food Service Worker
Penn State University
State College, Pennsylvania
07.2023 - 10.2023
- Prepared food according to university recipes to ensure quality and consistency
- Served meals to students in a cafeteria setting
- Restocked supplies regularly
- Cleaned dining area after closing to maintain hygiene standards
Surgical Technologist
Advanced Center for Surgery
Altoona, PA
04.2012 - 04.2014
- Positioned patients for optimal surgical access and safety.
- Created and maintained sterile operating fields.
- Maintained counts of needles, instruments, and sponges during surgery.
- Anticipated surgeons' needs during orthopedic, podiatry, and otorhinolaryngology procedures, ensuring efficient instrument and supply delivery.
- Managed disposal of medical waste and sanitized operating rooms between cases, adhering to OSHA guidelines.
- Cleaned and sterilized instruments and equipment.
- Retrieved medical supplies and equipment for surgical procedures. in preparation for the following day's procedures.
Materials Purchasing Agent
Advanced Center for Surgery
Altoona, PA
04.2012 - 04.2014
- Managed vendor purchase order process
- Processed supply and instrumentation requests from staff and physicians, facilitating timely order placements.
- Documented all purchases to ensure accurate tracking and accountability.
- Accepted and processed supply and instrumentation requests from staff and physicians, then placed orders.
- Checked items received against items ordered by verifying receipts.
- Maintained documentation for all purchases.
- Coordinated vendor purchase order process, ensuring compliance with procurement policies and timely fulfillment.
Clinical Orthopedic Nurse/Technician
University Orthopedics Center
Altoona, PA
08.2010 - 04.2012
- Managed the placement of patients in exam rooms, took vital signs, assessed injuries, and prepared patients for the physician.
- Prepared injections for physician administration to patients, ensuring readiness for treatment.
- Removed patient sutures, staples and/or dressings per physician orders.
- Changed patient wound dressings.
- Prepared injections for physician to administer to patients.
- Cleaned and sanitized exam rooms between patients to maintain a safe and hygienic environment.
- Set up orthopedic fracture tables for casting procedures and applied a variety of plaster and fiberglass casting, splints, and braces on patients.
- Stocked exam rooms with necessary supplies.
- Traveled to various locations for patient care.
Surgical Technologist
University Orthopedics Center
Altoona, PA
08.2010 - 04.2012
- Assisted orthopedic surgeons with patient positioning prior to surgery, supported surgical procedures, and applied staples, dressings, and braces post-surgery.
- Assisted orthopedic surgeons in positioning patients prior to surgery, during surgery, and in applying staples, dressings, and braces after surgery.
- Facilitated patient transfers by collaborating with hospital staff to ensure safe and efficient movement.
- Visited multiple locations to provide surgical assistance to orthopedic surgeons during procedures.
Surgical Technologist
Altoona Regional Health Systems
Altoona, PA
04.2008 - 08.2010
- Positioned patients for optimal access and comfort during surgical procedures.
- Created and maintained sterile operating fields.
- Maintained counts of needles, instruments, and sponges during surgery.
- Anticipated surgeon needs and provided instrumental support during various surgical procedures, enhancing overall surgical efficiency.
- Disposed of medical supplies and waste, cleaned and sanitized operating rooms between cases following OSHA guidelines.
- Retrieved surgical supplies and equipment to ensure readiness for next day's procedures.
Surgical Technologist
JC Blair Memorial Hospital
Huntingdon, PA
05.2001 - 04.2008
- Provided surgical assistance and support to surgeons by anticipating their needs, passing instruments and supplies during orthopedic, gynecologic, general, vascular, urologic, dental, ophthalmologic and otorhinolaryngology procedures.
- Created and maintained sterile fields to ensure safety and compliance during surgeries.
- Ensured accurate counts of needles, instruments, and sponges to uphold patient safety standards during operations.
- Anticipated surgeons' needs and provided assistance during orthopedic, gynecologic, general, vascular, urologic, dental, ophthalmologic, and otorhinolaryngology procedures.
- Cleaned and sterilized instruments and equipment.
- Cleaned and sterilized surgical instruments and equipment in the operating room to ensure patient safety.
- Stocked operating rooms with necessary medical supplies to ensure readiness for surgeries.
- Pulled and organized supplies and equipment in preparation for the next day's surgical procedures.
Education
Diploma - Surgical Technology
Mount Aloysius College
Cresson, PADiploma - Academic
Juniata Valley School District
Alexandria, PASkills
- Surgical Assistance
- Instrument sterilization
- Decontamination procedures
- Sterilization monitoring
- Infection control
- Operating room support
- Assessing Vital Signs
- Equipment Operation
- Equipment inspection
- Electronic Charting
- EMR Software
- Documentation
- Certified in CPR/AED
- Medical terminology
- Ordering Supplies
- Medical supply ordering
- Supply Management
- Inventory rotation
- Tray assembly
- Assembly and packaging
- Sterile storage
- Problem solving
- Critical thinking
- Decision making
- Organizational abilities
- Time management
- Workload prioritization
- Team collaboration
- Safety Procedures
- Biological monitoring
- Recording test results
- Low-temperature sterilization
- Workstation organization
- Ultrasonic cleaning
- Preventive Maintenance
- Diagnostic testing
- Patient confidentiality
- Managing materials
- Recording biologicals
- Instrument decontamination
- Diagnostic testing
LANGUAGE
english - Native
Timeline
Certified Surgical Technologist
Penn Highlands Healthcare
08.2024 - Current
Certified Sterile Processing Technician
Penn Highlands Healthcare
08.2024 - Current
Surgical Technologist
Advanced Center for Surgery
01.2024 - 08.2024
Food Service Worker
Penn State University
07.2023 - 10.2023
Surgical Technologist
Advanced Center for Surgery
04.2012 - 04.2014
Materials Purchasing Agent
Advanced Center for Surgery
04.2012 - 04.2014
Clinical Orthopedic Nurse/Technician
University Orthopedics Center
08.2010 - 04.2012
Surgical Technologist
University Orthopedics Center
08.2010 - 04.2012
Surgical Technologist
Altoona Regional Health Systems
04.2008 - 08.2010
Surgical Technologist
JC Blair Memorial Hospital
05.2001 - 04.2008
Diploma - Surgical Technology
Mount Aloysius College
Diploma - Academic
Juniata Valley School District