At Houston Methodist, the Lead Endoscopy Technician (Endo Tech) position, under the direction of a Registered Nurse and/or physician, is an expert Endo Tech responsible for providing high quality support to the gastroenterology (GI) providers and other members of the healthcare team. This position exercises sound judgement and executes proficient clinical skills necessary for assisting with endo-related procedures related to preparation for and assisting with turnaround activities, which include cleaning and high-level disinfection processing of endoscopes and accessory equipment. The Lead Endo Tech position anticipates physician needs during endoscopy procedures, assists with the clean-up of the endoscopy suite, and acts as a mentor of others in the technician role. Other duties for this position include independently and expertly performing the duties and responsibilities of preceptor and clinical resource to Endo Tech I and II's, utilizing advanced skills and knowledge, training and orienting others.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborates with all members of the interprofessional health care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner. Teaches others to critically think by verbally expressing rationale for decisions and follows up consistently. Facilitates open, professional, communication to achieve mutual understanding, role modeling by example.

• Independently and expertly executes the duties and responsibilities of preceptor and clinical resource, guiding and mentoring colleagues' though processes in complex situations in order to provide optimal patient care. Provides structured feedback with examples.

• Promotes a positive work environment that actively assists interprofessional care team to achieve optimal department results. Leads and initiates problem resolution within the work unit. Facilitates teamwork by anticipating the need for assistance and responding positively to requests for assistance. Makes contributions to the work effort as a whole.

• Effectively supports Management to implement protocols and objectives with team members resulting in optimization of staff performance, teamwork, patient safety, and customer service.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborates with the Charge Nurse in daily department operations and workflow to ensure timely service to patient and units. Maintains an orderly environment that facilitates access to supplies, manuals and other resource information. Assists team members in maintaining inventories. Troubleshoots and coordinates equipment issues.

• Anticipates the needs of the physician and removes barriers for the procedure by independently organizing the work flow, problem-solving, and managing multiple ongoing priorities.

• Validates potential revisions and accurately updates physician preference cards.

• Role models behaviors and skills, through peer-to-peer accountability, towards improving department score for patient satisfaction on unit-based scorecard.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures implementation of evidence-based practices within the department. Monitors and assesses skills of Endo Techs to ensure safe quality patient care. Performs procedures/interventions requiring advanced therapeutic and ERCP skills.

• Promotes quality patient care by monitoring case progression/throughput through prompt communication to unit staff.

• Contributes to identification of corrective action and improvement activities, impacting quality and safety targets on the unit-based scorecard, through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses, and collaborating with the interprofessional team.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Uses resources efficiently; does not waste supplies. Assists team members in maintaining inventories. Monitors and orders supplies to maintain par level, making recommendations for supplies/par levels to management as appropriate.

• Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, minimizing incidental overtime. Utilizes time between heavy workloads efficiently and helps other team members.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists management in evaluating and competency training of staff. Develops skills of team members and continually assists with improving skills, performance and outcomes. Fosters a positive and constructive teaching environment by engaging co-workers in learning opportunities that are valuable and in alignment with business objectives.

• Collaborates with interprofessional health care team and initiates department process improvement. Co-chairs and leads shared governance activities.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Five (5) years of experience as an Endoscopy Technician

• May consider an HM employee with four (4) years' experience of which at least two (2) years as an Endoscopy Technician at Houston Methodist and demonstrates leadership abilities

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Possesses basic computer knowledge; operates multiple computer systems to include, EPIC Information Systems and Microsoft Office software to maintain patient and exam document

• Exhibits strong interpersonal and team player skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians and co-workers

• Demonstrates independence and exercises sound judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team and patients and their families

• Demonstrates proficient knowledge for all endoscopy equipment and proper use, handling, cleaning, and high-level disinfecting of endoscopes, equipment and accessories. Demonstrates proficient knowledge and appropriate use of hospital database such as EPIC. Demonstrates ability to access information both in the department and within the hospital system to support the department and interprofessional care team as appropriate

• Demonstrates Level I and II (entry and moderate level GI procedures) with expertise

• Demonstrates proficiency in advanced ERCP skills including SpyGlass and EHL

• Demonstrates proficiency in all specialty skills

• Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates Certificate (SGNA)

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform Yes
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional No
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist The Woodlands opened in 2017 as the eighth hospital in the Houston Methodist system. This 187-bed, 470,000-square-foot, full-service, acute care hospital offers many of the same services as our flagship hospital in the Texas Medical Center. Also on the $380 million hospital campus, located at the intersection of I-45 and TX 242, is a medical office building, which opened in 2016. Medical Office Building 1 includes a breast care center, cancer center & infusion center, orthopedics & sports medicine, rehabilitation services, wellness services, and an outpatient laboratory in addition to multi-specialty physician practices. A second medical office building and 785-car parking garage opened in 2018.