Description
Provide direct intraoperative support as the surgeon’s first assistant, performing advanced tasks under surgeon supervision and per state law: achieving exposure and hemostasis, handling tissues, making incisions and closures, suctioning and irrigation, placing drains and devices, inserting catheters, and applying dressings while promoting safe positioning and sterile technique.
- • Verify patient identity, procedure, and operative site with the team.
- • Discuss the operative plan, exposure methods, and pertinent data with the surgeon.
- • Coordinate and assist with safe patient positioning and protective padding.
- • Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.
- • Adjust operative lighting and table accessories per surgeon preference.
- • Create and maintain a sterile field and aseptic technique.
- • Drape the patient to establish and maintain the sterile operative field.
- • Prepare the incision site by hair removal and skin antisepsis as directed.
- • Ensure necessary instruments, implants, and supplies are available and functioning.
- • Obtain and inspect specialized surgical equipment and devices for readiness.
- • Maintain exposure using retractors, sponges, suction, and irrigation.
- • Clamp, ligate, or cauterize vessels to control bleeding.
- • Incise tissue or harvest grafts (e.g., saphenous vein) as permitted by policy.
- • Handle and manipulate tissues to facilitate surgical dissection.
- • Assist in insertion, positioning, and securing of closed-wound drains.
- • Insert or remove urinary bladder catheters when indicated.
- • Place sutures, staples, or clips and close wound layers per protocol.
- • Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.
- • Assist in applying casts, splints, braces, or similar devices.
- • Assist in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques.
- • Monitor intraoperative status relevant to the field, including position, vital signs communication, and blood loss.
- • Assess skin integrity and pressure points at case completion.
- • Postoperatively infiltrate local anesthetic as authorized.
- • Pass instruments, manage sutures and sharps, and handle specimens as needed.
- • Assist with patient resuscitation during life-threatening events.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
