Surgical Assistant

Other Titles

Certified Surgical Assistant, Certified Surgical Technician, Gastrointestinal Technician (GI Technician), Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech), Surgical Technician (Surgical Tech)

Assist surgeons during surgery by performing duties such as tissue retraction, insertion of tubes and intravenous lines, or closure of surgical wounds. Perform preoperative and postoperative duties to facilitate patient care. Surgical Assistants perform a wide range of activities during surgical procedures and operations. They work alongside surgeons and assist them by doing various preoperative and postoperative duties. In this role, they carry out activities such as retracting sections of the tissue, inserting or mounting tubes, making sure that the surgical area and equipment is well sterilised, and covering patients with surgical drapes during the surgery. A part of their job is to make sure that the surgical field is clear for the surgeons. To accomplish this, they may make use of irrigating equipment, suctions and sponges. They also ensure the stability of the patient during the procedure.

Verify the identity of patient or operative site.

Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.

Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.

Coordinate 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.

Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.

Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.

Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.

Discuss with surgeon the nature of the surgical procedure, including operative consent, methods of operative exposure, diagnostic or laboratory data, or patient-advanced directives or other needs.

Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.

Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.

Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.

Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.

Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.

Operate sterilizing devices.

Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.

Monitor patient intra-operative status, including patient position, vital signs, or volume and color of blood.

Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.

Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.

Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.

Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.

Adjust and maintain operating room temperature, humidity, or lighting, according to surgeon's specifications.

Assist in applying casts, splints, braces, or similar devices.

Transport patients to operating room.

Remove patient hair or disinfect incision sites to prepare patient for surgery.

Incise tissue layers in lower extremities to harvest veins.

Postoperatively inject a subcutaneous local anesthetic agent to reduce pain.

Insert or remove urinary bladder catheters.

Assist in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques.

Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.

Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Operation Monitoring→ Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Learning Strategies→ Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Social Perceptiveness→ Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Assisting and Caring for Others→ Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Handling and Moving Objects→ Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Performing General Physical Activities→ Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Controlling Machines and Processes→ Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public→ Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Developing and Building Teams→ Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others→ Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Verify accuracy of patient information.

Maintain sterile operative fields.

Position patients for treatment or examination.

Protect patients or staff members using safety equipment.

Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.

Operate on patients to treat conditions.

Apply bandages, dressings, or splints.

Treat acute illnesses, infections, or injuries.

Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment.

Implement advanced life support techniques.

Examine medical instruments or equipment to ensure proper operation.

Sterilize medical equipment or instruments.

Assist healthcare practitioners during surgery.

Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.

Prepare patients physically for medical procedures.

Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.

Move patients to or from treatment areas.

Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.

Administer intravenous medications.

Administer basic health care or medical treatments.

Administer blood or other fluids intravenously.

Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Arm-Hand Steadiness→ The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Finger Dexterity→ The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Visual Color Discrimination→ The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Control Precision→ The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Manual Dexterity→ The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Selective Attention→ The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Multilimb Coordination→ The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Perceptual Speed→ The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Flexibility of Closure→ The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Hearing Sensitivity→ The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Auditory Attention→ The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.

Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Reaction Time→ The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

Trunk Strength→ The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

Visualization→ The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Far Vision→ The ability to see details at a distance.

Memorization→ The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.

Speed of Closure→ The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

Static Strength→ The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

Time Sharing→ The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).

Wrist-Finger Speed→ The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.

Medicine and Dentistry→ Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Biology→ Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Education and Training→ Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Medical software -- Electronic medical record EMR software; Nursing documentation software; Patient scheduling software; Patient tracking software; Supply documentation software; Surgery workflow communication software

Office suite software -- e.g., Corel WordPerfect Office; Microsoft Office; Google Workspace

Operating system software -- e.g., Palm OS

Presentation software -- e.g., Google Slides; Corel Presentations; Microsoft PowerPoint

Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Corel Quattro Pro; Microsoft Excel; Google Sheets

Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs

Automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles→ Automated external defibrillators AED

Autotransfusion units→ Cell savers

Blanket or solution warmer cabinets→ Blanket warmer cabinets

Blood warming or transfusion systems→ Blood warming equipment

Cardiac output CO monitoring units or accessories→ Cardiac monitoring equipment

Cardiac pacemaker generator or cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker CRT-P→ Heart pacemakers

Cast cutters or saws→ Cast cutting saws

Chemical or gas sterilizers→ Ethylene Oxide sterilizers

Desktop computers

Diagnostic or interventional vascular catheters or sets→ Angiocaths

Electronic medical thermometers→ Telethermometers

Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipment→ Argon beam coagulators; Cauterizing equipment

Endoscopic video cameras or recorders or adapters or accessories→ Endoscopic camera/video systems

Eyemagnets for ophthalmic surgery→ Eye magnets

Flexible endoscopes or accessories or related products→ Fiberoptic endoscopes

Floor grade forceps or hemostats→ Hemostat clamps

Goggles→ Surgical protective goggles

Hospital intercom systems→ Hospital intercom equipment

Hypodermic injection apparatus or accessories→ Subcutaneous injection syringes

Intravenous or arterial fluid warmers or accessories→ Fluid warmers

Intravenous tubing with catheter administration kits→ Intravenous IV sets

Lap mayo trays or mayo stands for surgical use or accessories→ Mayo stands

Laparoscopes or laparoscopic telescopes→ Laparoscopes

Medical carts or accessories→ Anesthesia carts

Medical imaging dry laser printers or imagers→ Medical image processing printers

Medical incision drains→ Wound drains

Medical staff isolation or cover gown→ Sterile gowns

Medical staff isolation or surgical masks→ Surgical masks

Medical stapler for internal use→ Medical staple kits

Notebook computers→ Laptop computers

Operating room patient fracture tables or orthopedic tables or accessories or related products→ Surgical fracture tables

Operating room patient positioning devices or accessories→ Body stabilizers; Head stabilizers; Patient positioning devices

Operating room patient procedure tables or accessories or related products→ C-arm tables

Pagers

Patient stretchers or stretcher accessories→ Patient transport stretchers

Personal computers

Special purpose telephones→ Multi-line telephone systems

Specimen collection container→ Specimen collection containers

Steam autoclaves or sterilizers→ Flash sterilizers; Pressure steam autoclaves

Surgical clamps or clips or forceps or accessories→ Surgical clamps; Vascular clamps

Surgical dermatomes or dermabraders or dermameshers or accessories→ Surgical dermatomes

Surgical drapes→ Sterile drapes

Surgical gloves

Surgical lasers or accessories→ Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers; Eye lasers; Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Nd:YAG lasers

Surgical nerve stimulators or accessories→ Nerve stimulators

Surgical pneumatic or battery or electric saws or drills or pin drivers or accessories→ Powered surgical drills

Surgical pneumatic or electric tourniquets or accessories→ Pneumatic tourniquets

Surgical power equipment sets or accessories→ Surgical robots

Surgical retractors for general use→ Surgical retractors

Surgical scalpels or knives or blades or trephines or accessories→ Surgical scalpels

Surgical shave kits or prep razors or clippers→ Surgical razors

Surgical suction machines or vacuum extractors or ultrasonic surgical aspirators or regulators or accessories→ Suction machines

Surgical trocars for general use or accessories→ Surgical trocars

Suturing kits or trays or packs or sets→ Suture kits

Therapeutic heating or cooling units or systems→ Hypothermia units

Urinary catheterization kit→ Urinary catheters

Conventional→ Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Social→ Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Realistic→ Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.

Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Relationships→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Achievement→ Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Support→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.