Surgical Assistant Job Description

What is the job description of a Surgical Assistant? What are the duties and responsibilities of a Surgical Assistant? What does a Surgical Assistant do?

Job description of a Surgical Assistant

A Surgical Assistant provides assistance to Surgeons during operations and surgical procedures by providing pre and post-operative patient care, performing a variety of crucial tasks during operations, and may perform some clerical work.

This Surgical Assistant job description example includes the list of most important Surgical Assistant duties and responsibilities as shown below. It can be modified to fit the specific Surgical Assistant profile you're trying to fill as a recruiter or job seeker.

Surgical Assistant Duties and Responsibilities

Surgical Assistant job description should contain a variety of functions and roles including:

  • Assisting with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrests or other life-threatening events.
  • Covering patients with surgical drapes to ensure and maintain a sterile operating field, removing patients' body hair, and disinfecting the incision site.
  • Determining the availability and inspecting sterile and non-sterile surgical equipment, tools, and supplies.
  • Maintaining an unobstructed operating field with surgical retractors, sponges, and suctioning and irrigating equipment.
  • Monitoring patients' positions, vital signs, and volume and color of blood during operations.
  • Assisting the surgical team with gowning or gloving and passing instruments or supplies to the Surgeon.
  • Assisting with the application of dressings, casts, splints, braces, and other devices.
  • Adjusting and maintaining the operating room temperature, humidity, and lighting according to the Surgeon's specifications.
  • Applying sutures, staples, clips, and drainage systems and clamping, or cauterizing blood vessels to control bleeding.
  • Assisting with the positioning of patients' bodies to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment and assessing the patients' body conditions after surgery.

Surgical Assistant Requirements / Skills / Qualifications

Surgical Assistant job description should include these common skills and qualifications:

  • A graduate's degree in Surgical Assistance with the successful completion of clinical training.
  • A license to work as a Surgical Assistant.
  • Physical stamina to work long shifts and move or lift patients and heavy equipment.
  • Excellent team working and communication skills.
  • The ability to remain calm and focused in the operating room.
  • Good manual dexterity and working knowledge of surgical procedures and tasks.
  • The ability to work in a stressful environment.

As a hiring manager, recruiting an ideal Surgical Assistant starts with crafting a good job description. Use this Surgical Assistant job description template to save yourself time and help you attract the most qualified candidates. Feel free to revise it to meet your specific needs.

Job seekers interviewing for the role of a Surgical Assistant may also reference it in preparation for the interview.