Oral Surgery Circulator

Title: Oral Surgery Circulator
Practice: Valley Oral & Facial Surgery 
Location: Grand Forks, ND
Office Hours:

• Monday–Thursday: 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Saturday–Sunday: Closed

Note: Actual shift schedules may vary between 6:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday–Thursday, and 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Fridays, depending on seasonal summer/winter hours

Position Purpose:

The Circulator supports the surgical team by coordinating key aspects of patient care and surgical preparation to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality procedures. This role is responsible for post-operative monitoring and patient discharge, seating and preparing patients, completing patient health history intake and accurately updating the EHR, and maintaining professional communication with patients and referring providers. The Circulator also assists with surgical room preparation, sterilization, and other essential tasks that keep patient flow and daily operations running smoothly. This position plays a vital role in supporting surgeons, maintaining compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, and infection control standards, and fostering a positive, professional experience for every patient.

Essential Functions

Operatory Preparation & Turnover

• Prepare and turn over surgical operatories, ensuring all equipment, instruments, and supplies are available, functional, and properly set up according to clinical and surgical direction.
• Perform sterile and non-sterile setup and breakdown between patients in accordance with infection control and sterilization protocols.

Patient Preparation, Intake & Support

• Greet, escort, seat, and prepare patients for surgical procedures.
• Review and confirm medical history, allergies, consent forms, and required documentation; accurately update the EHR.
• Assist with patient positioning, comfort measures, chart preparation, and related administrative tasks as directed.
• Provide occasional reception coverage as needed to support patient flow.

Instrument, Equipment & Supply Management

• Clean, sterilize, organize, and maintain surgical instruments and equipment before and after procedures.
• Identify and troubleshoot equipment issues and communicate repair or replacement needs appropriately.
• Monitor inventory levels and assist with maintaining adequate surgical and clinical supplies.

Infection Control, Safety & Compliance

• Adhere to OSHA, CDC, and practice-specific infection control and safety standards.
• Ensure proper handling and disposal of sharps, biohazardous waste, and contaminated materials.
• Participate in safety monitoring, routine checks, and required drills.

Patient Recovery & Discharge

• Provide post-operative monitoring and assist with patient recovery.
• Discharge patients accurately with post-operative instructions as directed by the surgeon.
• Support safe transfer of patients to designated recovery areas.

Documentation & Recordkeeping

• Document patient care activities, vital signs (if applicable), procedural details, and recovery notes per facility standards.
• Maintain accurate sterilization logs, instrument tracking, and supply usage records.

Collaboration, Communication & Training

• Communicate effectively with surgeons, anesthesia personnel, clinical assistants, and administrative staff to ensure seamless patient care.
• Coordinate communication between the surgical suite and front office or support teams.
• Support onboarding and training of new staff as requested.

Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement

• Participate in audits, quality checks, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Provide feedback to enhance workflow efficiency, patient safety, and overall care quality.
• Attend required training, meetings, and continuing education as assigned.

Qualifications

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent — required
• CPR/BLS certification — required
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) — preferred; may be required depending on practice protocols
• Infection control and OSHA training — required and must be maintained per regulatory standards

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in direct patient care, including taking and recording basic patient vitals and health history.
• Demonstrated proficiency in maintaining sterile fields, aseptic technique, and instrument sterilization.
• Prior experience working in a fast-paced, team-based healthcare environment.
• Strong understanding of OSHA, HIPAA, and infection control requirements.
• Experience with electronic health records (EHR) systems and accurate clinical documentation preferred.
• Preference given to candidates with experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Dental Assistant, or Surgical Assistant (credentialed or non-credentialed).

Performance Requirements:

• Maintain compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, and infection control standards.
• Prepare and maintain surgical rooms, instruments, and supplies efficiently.
• Accurately document operative reports and patient information.
• Communicate professionally and compassionately with patients and team members.
• Monitor vitals and anticipate patient needs during post-operative recovery period.
• Adapt to various clinical roles and support team operations as needed.
• Stay organized and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Uphold company policies, safety standards, and patient care protocols.

• We offer Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance plans to our full-time employees.
• Two out of the three medical plans offered include Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility.
• Company-paid Life, AD&D and Long-Term Disability coverage.
• Additional Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance for you and your family!
• Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance available to you as well
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) offered.
• Immediately begin saving for retirement through our 401(k) starting with very first paycheck!
• Employer 401(k) contribution and Profit Sharing after six months of employment
• PTO and 8 Paid holidays for fulltime employees!

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work.  This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities.  OPS’s management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.