| Course | HA 635 Healthcare Human Resources Management |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 2 |
| Paper type | Job analysis packet |
| Length | About 910 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Herzing University |
| Program | MS in Healthcare Administration |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HA 635 Unit 2
Twelve Cases Watched, Twenty-Two Questionnaires Returned: A Job Analysis Packet for the Surgical Technologist Role, From Method to Posting
Student Name
Health Care Administration, Herzing University
HA 635: Healthcare Human Resources Management
Instructor Name
January 22, 2026
Twelve Cases Watched, Twenty-Two Questionnaires Returned: A Job Analysis Packet for the Surgical Technologist Role, From Method to Posting
How the Information Was Gathered
This packet analyzes the surgical technologist role in the main operating room of the composite north Texas hospital introduced in Unit 1. Four methods were used, because each catches what the others miss (Brannick et al., 2007). Observation: a human resources analyst, gowned as an observer, watched 12 complete cases across four shifts in January, from room setup to final count and breakdown, including general, orthopedic, spine, gynecologic and one emergency case. Incumbent interviews: six surgical technologists, chosen to include new and experienced staff and both day and evening shifts, were interviewed for 45 minutes each. Structured questionnaire: all 29 surgical technologists were asked to rate each duty for frequency, time share and consequence of error; 22 returned it. Supervisor review: the operating room nurse manager and two charge nurses reviewed the draft duty list and time estimates.
Where sources disagreed, observation was preferred for time estimates and incumbents' ratings were preferred for frequency of rare events, such as emergency cases, which an observation window is unlikely to capture.
Duties, Frequency and Share of the Shift
Time shares are averages across observed cases and questionnaire estimates; they sum to about 100% of a scheduled shift.
| Duty | Frequency | Share of shift | Essential? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass instruments, supplies and sutures to the surgeon, anticipating needs through the case | Every case | 45% | Yes |
| Set up the sterile field: open and inspect instrument sets and supplies, check sterilization indicators | Every case | 15% | Yes |
| Perform surgical counts of sponges, sharps and instruments with the circulating nurse | Every case, at least three times | 5% | Yes |
| Maintain sterile technique and identify and correct breaks | Continuous | Throughout | Yes |
| Handle and label specimens and medications on the sterile field | Most cases | 3% | Yes |
| Break down the field, dispose of sharps, and transport instruments for reprocessing | Every case | 10% | Yes |
| Help position and prepare the patient, under the nurse's direction | Most cases | 5% | No; may be reassigned |
| Restock rooms and check case carts against the surgeon's preference card | Daily | 10% | No; may be reassigned |
| Take emergency call, returning within 30 minutes | About four times a month | Varies | Yes, for full-time staff |
| Precept students and new staff | Selected staff | Up to 10% | No |
Which Functions Are Essential, and Why
Federal disability law gives weight to the employer's judgment about which functions are essential and to a written job description prepared before a position is advertised (42 U.S.C. § 12111). The federal regulations list factors for that judgment, including whether the position exists to perform the function, the time spent on it, the consequences of not requiring it, and the experience of past and current incumbents; these appear in the definitions at 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2. By those factors, passing instruments, setting up and maintaining the sterile field, counts and specimen handling are essential: the position exists to perform them, they take most of the shift, and an error in any of them can harm a patient. Restocking and positioning are marginal functions that can be reassigned to other staff. Taking call is essential for full-time staff because the department cannot cover emergencies without it, but not for part-time staff, who are hired without a call requirement.
Physical and Environmental Demands
Stated in the terms an accommodation review would use. Standing: continuous standing in one place for the length of a case, observed at up to 4 hours without a break and occasionally longer for spine cases. Lifting and carrying: instrument containers up to 25 pounds, the department's limit per container, several times a shift; pushing case carts up to about 200 pounds on wheels. Manual dexterity: fine finger movement and grip to load needles, pass instruments and handle sutures while wearing two pairs of sterile gloves. Vision: near vision sufficient to read small instrument markings and suture labels under surgical lighting. Hearing: ability to hear spoken requests through surgical masks, amid equipment noise. Protective equipment: wearing sterile gown, gloves, mask and eye protection for the full case, and a lead apron during imaging.
Exposures: blood and body fluids, with the hazards and protections set by the federal bloodborne pathogens standard, including the offer of hepatitis B vaccination, set out at 29 C.F.R. § 1910.1030; sharps; surgical smoke; ionizing radiation during imaging; disinfectants and sterilants; and latex, although the department is latex-safe. Schedule: 10- or 12-hour shifts and emergency call.
Licensure, Certification and Education
Required at hire: graduation from an accredited surgical technology program; and current certification as a surgical technologist from a certifying body recognized in Texas law, or, for a new graduate, graduation within the previous 180 days (Tex. Health & Safety Code § 259.002); and current basic life support certification.
Required within a defined period: for a new graduate hired before certification, passing the certification examination and providing proof no later than 180 days after graduation, after which the person may not continue to practice without it.
Required to continue: maintaining certification, including the continuing education the certifying body requires; anyone employed under one of the statute's exceptions must log continuing education hours on the biennial schedule the statute sets. Basic life support renewed every two years.
Preferred, not required: experience in spine, robotic or orthopedic surgery. It is listed as preferred because the observation showed that new technologists learn these specialties on the job with precepting, and requiring the experience would shrink an already small applicant pool without evidence that it is necessary at hire.
The Posting
Surgical Technologist, Main Operating Room, full time, day shift with rotating emergency call. Scrubs for surgical cases across general, orthopedic, spine, gynecologic and emergency surgery: sets up and maintains the sterile field, passes instruments and supplies, performs counts with the circulating nurse, and handles specimens. Works under the supervision of a registered nurse. Requirements: graduate of an accredited surgical technology program; current surgical technologist certification from a certifying body recognized by Texas, or graduation within the past 180 days with certification obtained within 180 days of graduation; current basic life support. Physical requirements: stand for up to 4 hours at a time; lift and carry up to 25 pounds; fine hand dexterity in sterile gloves; wear full protective equipment including a lead apron. Emergency call: return within 30 minutes. Preferred: spine, robotic or orthopedic experience. Every item in the posting traces to a duty, demand or credential established above; nothing is added that the analysis did not support.
References
Bloodborne pathogens, 29 C.F.R. § 1910.1030 (2025).
Brannick, M. T., Levine, E. L., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). Job and work analysis: Methods, research, and applications for human resource management (2nd ed.). Sage.
Definitions, 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2 (2025).
Definitions, 42 U.S.C. § 12111 (2025).
Tex. Health & Safety Code § 259.002 (2025).
What the HA 635 Unit 2 instructions ask for
Unit 2 asks you to complete a job analysis for a health care role and turn it into a posting. Expect to explain your methods, list duties with frequency and time share, decide which functions are essential, describe physical and environmental demands, state required credentials and write the posting. Students often ask how many methods to use and how to judge essential functions. Combine methods, since observation misses rare tasks and questionnaires miss what workers take for granted. Use the federal factors for essential functions, such as whether the job exists to perform the task. Describe physical demands in measurable terms. Separate requirements at hire from those due later. Make the posting match the analysis exactly.
Inside the HA 635 Unit 2 example
The packet opens with the four methods and what each caught. A duty table lists tasks from sterile field setup to counts and specimen handling, with how often each happens and its share of the shift. The essential functions section applies federal factors to each duty and explains the decisions. The physical demands section gives durations, weights and exposures, including bloodborne pathogen risk. The credentials section lists what is required at hire, such as accredited training and certification or recent graduation, and what is required within a set time. The posting summarizes duties, schedule and requirements in plain language, using the same terms as the analysis so a reviewer can trace every line back.
HA 635 Unit 2 rubric: what full points look like
Herzing's rubric for a job analysis packet typically covers methods, duties, essential functions, physical demands, credentials and the posting. Essential function decisions with reasons draw the most points, since they shape hiring, accommodation and later disputes. Method points reward more than one source of information. Duty criteria look for frequency and time share. Physical demand credit goes to measurable terms, such as weights and durations. Credential points reward state law and timing. The posting should match the analysis line for line. Brannick, Levine and Morgeson's job analysis text, the ADA definitions at 42 U.S.C. § 12111 and 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2, the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard and the Texas statute support the packet.
Common HA 635 Unit 2 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Job analyses in HA 635 Unit 2 commonly lose points by copying an old job description instead of gathering evidence. Another frequent problem is listing duties without frequency or time. Students often call every duty essential. Physical demands are vague, such as must be able to stand. Credential requirements at hire and later are mixed together. The posting adds requirements the analysis never established. Methods are described without saying what each found. Exposure risks such as bloodborne pathogens are missing. Finally, trace the posting back to the analysis, because graders reward a packet that would hold up if a rejected candidate or an accommodation request challenged it later.
Get a HA 635 Unit 2 example written to your instructions
Send the Unit 2 instructions and the rubric from your HA 635 classroom, along with the position you have been asked to analyze and any template your section supplies. We write a custom example with a stated method, a timed duty inventory, credential requirements and the posting derived from them, returned in 24 to 48 hours. The first custom sample is free.
More HA 635 papers and healthcare administration samples
- HA 635 Unit 1: Workforce demand analysis
- HA 635 Unit 3: Selection defensibility memo
- HA 635 Unit 4: Credentialing and competency review
- HA 635 Unit 5: Compensation structure review
- HA 635 Unit 6: Discipline case file
- HA 635 Unit 7: Turnover and retention study
- HA 635 Unit 8: Employment policy defense
- HA 695 Unit 2: Evidence and oversight plan
- HA 610 Unit 2: Legislative analysis
- HA 620 Unit 2: Payer mix analysis
- HA 625 Unit 2: Consent policy analysis
HA 635 Unit 2 questions, answered
Which position works best for a job analysis?
One you can describe in detail from real observation or interview, and one with enough variety that duties differ in weight. A staff role in a department you know well beats a senior title you can only guess at. Healthcare positions with licensure attached are especially useful here, because the credential block gives the packet something a generic office job would not supply.
Can I use my employer's existing job description?
As a starting point only, and say that is what you did. Existing descriptions are often years out of date, list duties nobody performs and omit work that now takes half the shift. Compare the document against what the position actually involves, note the differences you found, and let the corrected inventory rather than the old file drive your qualifications.
Does the packet need scholarly sources?
Check the rubric, since many sections ask for support from human resources literature even inside a practical document. Where sources are required, attach them to the method and to the essential function test rather than sprinkling citations through the duty list. A packet that cites a recognized job analysis approach and then follows it reads far better than one that names a method and abandons it.
Where can I find a free HA 635 Unit 2 sample paper?
Read the complete HA 635 Unit 2 job analysis packet here at no charge, the surgical technologist role from observation and questionnaires to a finished posting. Ask for a custom packet for another role.
How do you decide which job functions are essential?
Federal rules weigh whether the position is there mainly for that function, how many others can do it, time spent on it and the employer's written description. This sample applies those factors to a surgical technologist.