Life As a Surgical Assistant
Job Description & Duties 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.
Daily Life Of a Surgical Assistant
- 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.
- Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.
- Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.
- Remove patient hair or disinfect incision sites to prepare patient for surgery.
- Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.
- 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.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Surgical Assistant?
Below is a list of the skills most Surgical Assistants say are important on the job.
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.
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.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Types of Surgical Assistant
- Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech)
- Surgical Assistant
- Assistant-at-Surgery
- Surgical Assistant-Certified (SA-C)
- Operating Room Assistant
Is There Going to be Demand for Surgical Assistants?
In the United States, there were 127,800 jobs for Surgical Assistant in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 19.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 25,100 new jobs for Surgical Assistant by 2026. There will be an estimated 11,000 positions for Surgical Assistant per year.
The states with the most job growth for Surgical Assistant are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Illinois, Rhode Island, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Surgical Assistant
Surgical Assistants make between $28,130 and $72,720 a year.
Surgical Assistants who work in New Mexico, Alaska, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Surgical Assistants make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,230 |
| Alaska | $62,580 |
| Arizona | $48,840 |
| Arkansas | $42,300 |
| California | $50,150 |
| Colorado | $46,270 |
| Connecticut | $55,450 |
| Delaware | $48,900 |
| District of Columbia | $54,210 |
| Florida | $42,730 |
| Georgia | $46,960 |
| Hawaii | $54,660 |
| Idaho | $48,750 |
| Illinois | $47,590 |
| Indiana | $49,300 |
| Iowa | $42,590 |
| Kansas | $49,180 |
| Kentucky | $51,780 |
| Louisiana | $38,370 |
| Maine | $51,500 |
| Maryland | $44,590 |
| Massachusetts | $55,950 |
| Michigan | $45,640 |
| Minnesota | $55,940 |
| Mississippi | $36,900 |
| Missouri | $46,580 |
| Montana | $42,630 |
| Nebraska | $45,370 |
| Nevada | $45,980 |
| New Hampshire | $50,390 |
| New Jersey | $53,570 |
| New Mexico | $60,690 |
| New York | $55,700 |
| North Carolina | $39,230 |
| North Dakota | $46,370 |
| Ohio | $42,780 |
| Oklahoma | $43,960 |
| Oregon | $54,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,070 |
| Rhode Island | $55,490 |
| South Carolina | $42,820 |
| South Dakota | $54,290 |
| Tennessee | $64,010 |
| Texas | $43,990 |
| Utah | $41,150 |
| Vermont | $50,140 |
| Virginia | $48,050 |
| Washington | $59,950 |
| West Virginia | $43,490 |
| Wisconsin | $44,080 |
| Wyoming | $51,120 |
What Tools do Surgical Assistants Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Surgical Assistants may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Word processing software
- MEDITECH software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Palm OS
- Patient tracking software
- Nursing documentation software
- Patient scheduling software
- Supply documentation software
- Surgery workflow communication software
Becoming a Surgical Assistant
Individuals working as a Surgical Assistant have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Who Employs Surgical Assistants?
Below are examples of industries where Surgical Assistants work:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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