Throughout Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Week, we’re highlighting some of our amazing SpecialtyCare staff. These individuals make a significant impact every day, and we’re excited to acknowledge their notable contributions to MIS.
How long have you been a minimally invasive clinical specialist and which team are you currently on?
I’ve been a minimally invasive specialist for 11.5 years. I’m proud to be a part of the Memphis team.
What led you to become interested in MIS, and can you describe the path you took to become a minimally invasive clinical specialist?
In 2009, I joined the surgical technologist program at Concorde in Memphis, TN. Upon graduating from the program and becoming certified, I looked to apply for a job where I could use my experience and knowledge.
What are the benefits of a career in MIS?
The benefit of a career in MISS is that the job is exciting because we’re in surgery every day. Even though the cases have the same name, they’re never the exact same. The way surgery is scheduled keeps a person active all day, which makes time fly by.
What is a day in the life of a minimally invasive clinical specialist like?
A day in the life of a minimally invasive clinical specialist starts early. MISS gets into the hospital 45 – 60 minutes before the cases start to check the board and start setting up rooms. The specialist will pull the equipment needed for the cases and place towers accordingly in the rooms.
Then, we’re active in the rooms and assist on the start of the case and throughout. We also help solve any issues that might arise while keeping track of cases that we have following others. When cases are done, we reprocess our equipment to get it sterilized for the next one.
What communication advice would you give when working successfully in a team dynamic?
The communication advice I’d give for working successfully in a team dynamic is to be vocal. Communication is key, and people can’t read your mind. It saves everyone time and effort if you’re vocal in your communication. For instance, if I tell a coworker that there’s a tray down in the back and that another room is getting ready to go while another is turning over, that person and I get to put together a plan that will best accomplish the tasks at hand.
What was a surprise to you about the career when you first started?
A surprise to me about the career when I first started was the wide range of cases we serviced.
What has been a memorable moment or story you’d like to share from your career?
A memorable moment from my career is when I came back from maternity leave. My manager and co-workers were so happy to have me back. They really welcomed me and made me feel like I’d been missed tremendously.