Occupation
Surgical Assistants
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close surgical sites, manipulate or remove tissues, implant surgical devices or drains, suction the surgical site, place catheters, clamp or cauterize vessels or tissue, and apply dressings to surgical site.
$66,800 medianBright outlookTraining or associate
O*NET 31.0 · 29-9093.00
A typical week, in the words of people in the job
- 01Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
- 02Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
- 03Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.
- 04Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
- 05Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
- 06Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.
- 07Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
- 08Coordinate or participate in the positioning of patients, using body stabilizing equipment or protective padding to provide appropriate exposure for the procedure or to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment.
- 09Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.
- 10Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.
- 11Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.
- 12Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.
Task statements ranked by how many workers report them · O*NET 31.0
What the posting will be called
CSFA (Certified Surgical First Assistant)RNFA (Registered Nurse First Assistant)Surgical First AssistantSurgical Technician (Surgical Tech)CRNFA (Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant)CSA (Certified Surgical Assistant)Certified Surgical Technician (Certified Surgical Tech)GI Technician (Gastrointestinal Technician)Scrub Technician (Scrub Tech)Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech)
Titles reported by employers for this occupation. Search job boards with these, not the O*NET name.
Knowledge the job leans on
Medicine and DentistryEducation and TrainingPublic Safety and SecurityEnglish LanguageBiologyCustomer and Personal ServiceComputers and ElectronicsEngineering and Technology
Skills that carry over from service
CoordinationService OrientationOperations MonitoringComplex Problem SolvingSocial PerceptivenessJudgment and Decision MakingOperation and ControlTime Management