Surgical Assistant Job Description Example, Duties, and Responsibilities

Surgical Assistant Job Description Example, Duties, and Responsibilities

What Does a Surgical Assistant Do?

A surgical assistant is a medical practitioner whose role is to render primary support and assistance in visualization, hemostasis, closure, and exposure to surgeons during surgical procedures.

The job description of the surgical assistant is to provide technical support by making sure that all items needed for a procedure to be carried out successfully are available for use by surgeons to avoid complications as a result of unavailability of equipment.

He/she takes direct instructions from the surgeon and works in accordance to hospital laid down rules and regulations and other state health policies.

As an assistant, he/she performs preoperative duties which include getting patients ready for the procedure by getting the dressed and taking them to the theater where the operation will take place.

Surgical assistants attend to patients with minor injuries such as bleeding of wounds and drains to stop continuous bleeding, and assist with transferring or moving patients from one room to another where they would receive different procedures.

They are always on ground to take emergency calls.

They receive patients with emergency cases into the theater and administer first aid treatment to them before the arrival of the surgeon.

Surgical assistants provide intra-operative care to patients by performing specified technical duties as directed by the surgeon, and ensure that the surgical environment is safe and clean for patients’ wellbeing.

It’s the responsibility of the assistant to not only see to it that all surgical equipment are available, but to also inspect them to be sure that they are in good condition for use in the procedure before it begins.

Other work they do is positioning patients in locations that will give the surgeon the best view and exposure needed for them to be comfortable and to be in control during procedures, and as such, they must be familiar with common surgical positions.

After a successful procedure, the assistant evaluates patients to detect if they sustained any injuries as a result of the positioning and if they did, reports to the surgeon immediately for further treatment.

Surgical Assistant Job Description Example

Surgical assistants perform the major duties, tasks, and responsibilities contained in the job description example shown below:

• Evaluate permit for confirmation of surgical procedures to be carried out on patients
• Assist in moving and placing patients in the right position for procedures
• Ensure that X-rays are properly positioned for reference
• Carry out drape on patients as directed by the surgeon
• Assist with the insertion of drainage tubes
• Dress patients’ wound as directed by the surgeon
• Sterilize all equipment to be used for procedures
• Cut, clamp and cut tissues after procedures as directed by the surgeon
• Assist surgeon with the resuscitation of patients experiencing cardiac arrests and other serious attacks
• Control movement skillfully to avoid any obstructions of surgeon’s view during procedure

Surgical Assistant Resume Preparation

In preparing a resume for the job of surgical assistant, the job description sample given above can serve as valuable source of information in writing the employment history section of the resume.

Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities – for the Surgical Assistant Position

The following skills, knowledge, and abilities are usually required to effectively perform the role of surgical assistant:

• Have National Board Certification as a Certified Assistant
• Have good knowledge of surgical procedures
• Be highly organized
• Ability to pay attention to detail
• Being flexible