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