Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) - OR
Charleston, South Carolina
Medical University of South Carolina - University Hospital

Certified OR Tech / Surgical Tech (CST)

Location: Charleston, South Carolina Specialty: Surgical Services Employment Type: Travel/Contract Contract Length: 13 weeks Schedule: Days, 3x12-hour shifts (6:30 AM to 7:00 PM), 36 hours per week On-Call: Yes, specific to Ophthalmology. Call-up to 4-6 call shifts per 4-week schedule period. Float: Yes. The traveler may need to float within scope to meet facility needs, between like units, or to sister facilities. Block Schedule: Can be requested. Requires manager approval, and depends on unit needs. Guaranteed Hours: The facility may call off 1 shift per 2 weeks. Called-off hours can be broken down to add up to 1 shift. Local Candidates: Accepted case by case. Local radius is 60 miles. RTO: All RTO must be included at time of submission. Approval is based on facility needs.

Required Qualifications

• Certified Surgical Technologist: 2 years of experience
• Certified Surgical Technologist: Experience within the last year
• BLS: Issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross
• NBSTSA: Certification required
• Ophthalmology: Experience working with Ophthalmology patients
• Level 1 Trauma: Experience working with Level 1 Trauma patients

Experience Notes

• First-timers accepted: Yes
• Common case mix: Ortho (total joints, spine, trauma), Neuro (cranial, spine), ENT (flaps), Robotics, Transplants/Procurements, Trauma/Burns, GU/GYN

Certifications and Competencies

• BLS: Required for all clinical candidates. AHA or American Red Cross accepted.
• ACLS: Not required for CVOR Techs. The only allied/tech position that requires ACLS is Cath Lab Tech.
• Pediatric OR: Facility signs travelers with no pediatric experience to Pediatric OR. A pharmacology competency exam is accepted in place of the pediatric version if the traveler has no pediatric experience.
• Competency exams: Medication test/pharmacology competency exam (as applicable) and competency exam (required)
• Color blind test: Online test required before start

Health and Infection Control

• Fit testing: Within 90 days prior to start, renewed annually. Must test with a small or regular N95 O&M Halyard FLUIDSHIELD mask. If the traveler fails, a 3M Aura 1870+ fit test is required. PAPR is not available, so travelers must purchase and provide their own if needed.
• Tuberculosis: T-spot or Q-Gold within 90 days of start. Annual TB questionnaire required.
• Immunity titers or vaccines: Measles (rubeola), mumps, rubella, and varicella. Positive titer or 2 vaccines required. Low titer requires 2 boosters 28 days apart.
• Hepatitis B: Titer, vaccine series, or vaccination declination form required
• Tdap: Within 10 years of start, or a declination form
• Drug screen: 10-panel drug screen within 90 days of start
• Flu vaccination: Flu vaccine or medical/religious exemption required, with a deadline of December 4, 2026. Pharmacy receipts are not accepted. Failure to meet the deadline results in assignment termination.

Onboarding and Logistics

• Radiation badge: Candidates cannot start without it. Badge delivery may take 5-7 days. Candidates who do not receive it on time may orient but cannot work on the floor until it arrives. A prior radiation exposure attestation must be completed before start.
• Orientation modules: Must be completed before orientation, on a laptop or computer (not a cell phone). Takes about 2 hours. Travelers are sent home if not completed.
• Badge photo: Frontal, passport-style photo with a solid lighter background, cropped from the shoulders up. No sunglasses or hats. Must be on file by Wednesday before start.
• Scrubs: Provided
• Charting system: EPIC
• Parking: Parking permit required through the parking office. A hang tag covers the garage only, and a registration fee applies.
• Hurricane season (June through November): Employees and contractors may be assigned to emergency response teams. Travelers who cannot accept this should not confirm a new or extended assignment during the season.

Facility and Unit Overview

• Unit: Main Operating Room, with 21 OR suites covering all surgical specialties, including Trauma, Transplant, Ortho, Neuro, ENT, GU/GYN, and Robotics. Travelers may be expected to staff the full variety of cases the Main OR supports.
• Team makeup: 75% RNs and 25% Certified Surgical Technologists. RNs are trained to both scrub and circulate.
• Culture: Nurse-driven, Magnet-designated department
• Facility type: Teaching facility, Magnet hospital
• Total staffed beds: 820