Travel Certified Surgical Technologist
SHIPROCK, NM
AHS Staffing
5x8 hrs, Days

Certified Surgical Technologist (Scrub Tech) – Operating Room

Northern Navajo Medical Center (IHS) – Shiprock, NM
Location: Northern Navajo Medical Center, Hwy 491 N, Shiprock, New Mexico 87420 (on-site; not remote)

Openings: 4
Pay:
Start Date: On or about November 1, 2026

About the role

 four (4) Certified Surgical Technologists (Scrub Techs) to support the Operating Room at Northern Navajo Medical Center, an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility in Shiprock, NM. You will scrub for a full range of general, orthopedic, OB/GYN, and emergency surgical cases in a Joint Commission–accredited federal hospital serving the Navajo Nation.

Schedule:

• Regular shift: Monday–Friday, day shift (approx. 6:30 AM – 3:00 PM), 40 hours/week
• On-call rotation: Shared among 4 techs — approximately 1 week of primary call per month, covering nights, weekends, and federal holidays
• Response time: Must be able to report to the OR within 2 hours of being paged
• Standard workweek is Monday–Friday day shift with rotating call for nights, weekends, and holidays.

Key responsibilities

• Function as the primary scrub person for scheduled, add-on, and emergency surgical cases in the NNMC OR.
• Prepare the OR: set up sterile field, instruments, supplies, and equipment for each procedure; verify counts with the circulator.
• Pass instruments, sutures, sponges, and supplies to the surgeon during procedures using strict sterile technique.
• Anticipate the needs of the surgical team throughout general, orthopedic, OB/GYN (including C-sections), endoscopic, and trauma/emergency cases.
• Perform accurate sponge, sharps, and instrument counts per AORN standards and facility policy.
• Handle, label, and pass off surgical specimens correctly.
• Assist with patient positioning, prepping, and draping.
• Break down the sterile field, decontaminate and process instruments per SPD protocols, and turn over the room for the next case.
• Participate in surgical Time-Outs, Universal Protocol, and other patient safety initiatives.
• Comply with all IHS, HIPAA, Joint Commission, OSHA, and CDC infection-control standards.
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Minimum qualifications (used to screen candidates)

Education / certification (required):

• Graduate of an accredited Surgical Technology program (CAAHEP or ABHES).
• Current CST (Certified Surgical Technologist) credential through the NBSTSA – must be active and in good standing.
• Current BLS for Healthcare Providers (American Heart Association).
  
  Experience (required):
• Minimum 2 years of full-time, recent (within the last 3 years) hospital OR scrub tech experience as a CST.
• Demonstrated scrub experience across at least three of the following service lines: general surgery, orthopedics, OB/GYN (including C-sections), GU, ENT, endoscopy, or trauma/emergency.
• Prior IHS, tribal health, VA, DoD, or federal hospital experience preferred.
  
  Preferred:
• CST-CFA (Certified First Assistant) credential.
• Experience in a small-to-mid-size rural or critical access hospital OR.
• Native American / Alaska Native applicants strongly encouraged to apply 
  
  Physical and work environment requirements
• Ability to stand for extended periods (4+ hours at a time) during surgical cases.
• Ability to lift, push, or pull up to 50 lbs and assist with patient positioning.
• Ability to wear lead aprons and full surgical PPE for extended periods.
• Manual dexterity and fine motor skills to handle sharps and delicate instruments.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced, high-acuity environment and respond quickly to emergencies.
• Reliable transportation to Shiprock, NM; must live within a 2-hour drive of NNMC while on call.
  
  Why work at NNMC / Shiprock
  
  Northern Navajo Medical Center is a 60-bed IHS hospital serving the Shiprock Service Unit of the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners region — Shiprock, NM sits at the intersection of stunning high-desert landscape, Navajo cultural heritage, and mission-driven federal healthcare. You'll practice at the top of your license, work with a tight-knit surgical team, and directly serve an underserved population.