Will “Surgical First Assistant” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Unknown Chance of Automation

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Job Description

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.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 29-2099.07

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Surgical Assistants”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Surgical First Assistant”

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

Related Technology & Tools

Laptop computers
Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers
Eye magnets
Surgical robots
Cell savers
Surgical masks
Fluid warmers
Cauterizing equipment
Surgical retractors
Angiocaths
Blanket warmer cabinets
Surgical dermatomes
Hypothermia units
Patient positioning devices
Multi-line telephone systems
Pagers
Argon beam coagulators
Medical staple kits
Suction machines
Body stabilizers
Hospital intercom equipment
Suture kits
Specimen collection containers
Nerve stimulators
Surgical trocars
Sterile drapes
Surgical protective goggles
Surgical fracture tables
Telethermometers
Powered surgical drills
Subcutaneous injection syringes
Wound drains
Mayo stands
Ethylene Oxide sterilizers
Pneumatic tourniquets
Medical image processing printers
Head stabilizers
Personal computers
Laparoscopes
Desktop computers
Flash sterilizers
Hemostat clamps
Surgical clamps
Surgical scalpels
Anesthesia carts
Surgical gloves
Vascular clamps
Intravenous IV sets
C-arm tables
Automated external defibrillators AED
Patient transport stretchers
Endoscopic camera/video systems
Blood warming equipment
Eye lasers
Pressure steam autoclaves
Sterile gowns
Cast cutting saws
Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Nd:YAG lasers
Urinary catheters
Heart pacemakers
Surgical razors
Cardiac monitoring equipment
Fiberoptic endoscopes

Electronic medical record EMR software
Surgery workflow communication software
Patient tracking software
Supply documentation software
Patient scheduling software
Microsoft Excel
MEDITECH software
Nursing documentation software