Job Description
The Endoscopic Gastroenterology Technician supports physicians and nurses during diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures. This role involves preparing and maintaining equipment, ensuring a sterile environment, and assisting in the safe and effective execution of procedures. Collaborates with the medical team to facilitate invasive and minimally invasive procedures, ensuring a safe environment, proper functioning equipment, and procedures are conducted in a manner that maximizes patient safety.
- Prepare procedure rooms for endoscopic procedures, ensuring all necessary instruments, supplies, and equipment are available, sterile, and functioning properly.
- Assist gastroenterologists and nurses during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as colonoscopies, EGDs, ERCPs, EUS, and other GI-related interventions.
- Operate and maintain endoscopic equipment, including light sources, video processors, monitors, and suction systems, troubleshooting as needed.
- Handle and process endoscopic instruments according to infection control protocols, ensuring proper disinfection, sterilization, and storage.
- Label specimens accurately during procedures and hand them off to the nurse in the room, ensuring proper documentation.
- Monitor patient comfort and safety before, during, and after procedures, under the direction of licensed medical staff.
- Ensure compliance with hospital, departmental policies, procedures, and safety standards, particularly regarding infection control.
- Participate in inventory management, ordering, and restocking of supplies and equipment to ensure adequate stock levels.
- Assist with advanced endoscopic procedures, including ERCP, EUS, EMR/ESD, FNA, hemostasis techniques, and GI stent placement.
- Act as the primary scrub assistant during therapeutic procedures, including device exchange, scope reintroduction, and maintaining sterile fields.
- Operate and troubleshoot advanced GI technology, including endoscopy towers, CO? insufflators, irrigation pumps, cautery units, and fluoroscopy equipment.
- Expertly clean, leak test, disinfect, and store scopes such as duodenoscopes, colonoscopes, gastroscopes, ensuring proper tracking using electronic systems.
- Performs all other duties as assigned.
- Strong understanding of infection control policies and aseptic techniques to maintain a sterile and safe environment.
- Knowledge of decontamination, packaging, and sterilization of instrumentation and supplies to ensure proper functioning and safety.
- Ability to demonstrate accountability for the patient care environment, including reporting malfunctioning equipment and ensuring patient safety.
- Ability to perform assigned patient care tasks under the supervision of a registered nurse and surgeon during procedures.
- Ability to assess and anticipate needed supplies for scheduled and emergent procedures, ensuring comfort and safety for patients and anticipating the surgeon's needs.
- Knowledge of how to prepare the operating room according to specific procedures, ensuring proper disinfection of equipment and furniture.
- Proficiency in exercising proper sterile technique, opening and arranging sterile fields in accordance with protocol for both routine and special procedures.
- Knowledge of how to utilize medical equipment and supplies efficiently, including tracking and restocking supplies, ensuring timely reordering and inventory management.
- Ability to assist in clearing the operating room between procedures, including proper disposal of contaminated items and cleaning instruments.
- Ability to participate in counts with the circulating nurse to ensure accuracy of surgical instruments and supplies.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with the surgical team and other healthcare professionals.
- High attention to detail and organizational skills, ensuring accurate preparation and maintenance of equipment and supplies.
- Ability to remain calm, focused, and efficient in a fast-paced clinical environment, troubleshooting minor malfunctions of medical equipment.
Education:
- High School Diploma/GED required
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is a nationally recognized, top-tier public research university that unites the power of higher education, biomedical discovery and healthcare within one visionary institution. As the third-largest research university in Texas and a Carnegie R1-designated institution, UT San Antonio is a model of access and excellence — advancing knowledge, social mobility and public health across South Texas and beyond. UT San Antonio serves approximately 42,000 students in 320 academic programs spanning science, engineering, medicine, health, liberal arts, AI, cybersecurity, business, education and more. With 17,000 faculty and staff, UT San Antonio has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Company Culture
Benefits Overview
UT Health San Antonio offers an excellent benefits package for its employees. Employees who work at least 20 hours a week, with an appointment of at least 4.5 months, are eligible for benefits.
Medical - UT SELECT Medical insurance is offered free for employees and administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Family members can be added to the plan through payroll deduction. Employees and their dependents can also receive discounted copays and coinsurance when using UT Health Physicians, a network of 800 premier physicians including more than 100 specialists. Employees receive $50,000 of group term life insurance and $50,000 of basic accidental death and dismemberment insurance for free, with options to purchase additional employee and dependent coverage for both at group rates.
Dental - Three dental insurance plan options are available for employees and their families through Delta Dental Insurance Company, two PPOs and one dental HMO plan. Both PPO plans allow employees to choose any licensed dentist.
Vision - Fully insured Vision Care benefits are offered by Superior Vision Services. Two vision plan options that offer either standard or enhanced vision benefits.
Disability - Employees can enroll in the Disability Insurance which provides income if a non-work related illness or injury prevents you from working.
FSAs - Employees can enroll in flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to set aside money from earnings before taxes for qualifying dependent day care expenses or out-of-pocket health care expenses.
Retirement - Employees are eligible for either the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). TRS is a defined benefit retirement plan which UT Health matches employee contributions. ORP is for eligible faculty staff employees. Voluntary retirement programs are also available to invest before- or after-tax dollars with the choice of five quality retirement plan providers.
Time Off - A generous leave program offers multiple paid leave options:
- Front-loaded Paid Time Off: 128 to 208 hours (16 to 26 days) of Paid Time Off based on years of service, given at the start of each fiscal year. PTO may be prorated in year one based on date of hire.
- Extended Illness Bank: 8 hours (1 day) accrued per month which can be used for illness or injury after one day of Paid Time Off is taken.
- Paid Family Leave: Up to 240 hours (6 weeks) to care for a spouse, child, or parent after 6 months of consecutive employment.
- Holidays: 12 set paid holidays each year.
Discounts - Employees enjoy a range of discounts on services, tickets, and gym membership.
EEO Statement
UT Health San Antonio is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. It is our policy to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.
