-
Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.
-
Assist in applying casts, splints, braces, or similar devices.
-
Insert or remove urinary bladder catheters.
-
Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
-
Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.
-
Postoperatively inject a subcutaneous local anesthetic agent to reduce pain.
-
Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
-
Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
-
Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.
-
Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.
-
Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.
-
Remove patient hair or disinfect incision sites to prepare patient for surgery.
-
Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.
-
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.
-
Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.
-
Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
-
Assist in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques.
-
Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.
-
Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
-
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.
-
Incise tissue layers in lower extremities to harvest veins.
-
Operate sterilizing devices.
-
Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.
-
Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.
-
Monitor patient intra-operative status, including patient position, vital signs, or volume and color of blood.
-
Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.
-
Adjust and maintain operating room temperature, humidity, or lighting, according to surgeon's specifications.
-
Transport patients to operating room.