BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasSurgical Assistants

O*NET · 29-9093.00

Surgical Assistants

Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close surgical sites, manipulate or remove tissues, implant surgical devices or drains, suction the surgical site, place catheters, clamp or cauterize vessels or tissue, and apply dressings to surgical site.

Also called Certified Surgical Tech · Certified Surgical Technician (Certified Surgical Tech) · CFA · CFA (Certified First Assistant) · CRNFA · CRNFA (Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant) · CSA · CSA (Certified Surgical Assistant)
38 more

CSFA · CSFA (Certified Surgical First Assistant) · FA · FA (First Assistant) · GI Technician · GI Technician (Gastrointestinal Technician) · Med Surg Nursing Assistant · Med Surg Nursing Assistant (Medical Surgical Nursing Assistant) · Med Surg PCA · Med Surg PCA (Medical Surgical Patient Care Assistant) · Operating Room Technician (OR Tech) · OR Aide · OR Aide (Operating Room Aide) · OR Assistant · OR Assistant (Operating Room Assistant) · OR Surgical Tech · OR Surgical Tech (Operating Room Surgical Technician) · OR Tech · Oral Surgery Assistant · Perioperative Assistant · RNFA · RNFA (Registered Nurse First Assistant) · Scrub Tech · Scrub Technician (Scrub Tech) · Surgery Assistant · Surgery Tech · Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech) · Surgical Aide · Surgical Dental Assistant · Surgical First Assistant · Surgical Medical Assistant · Surgical Scrub Tech · Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech) · Surgical Services Assistant · Surgical Tech · Surgical Technician (Surgical Tech) · Travel RNFA · Travel RNFA (Travel Registered Nurse First Assistant)

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code RCS35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Fish and Game Wardens

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCSRealistic · Conventional · Social — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.70
  • C Conventional4.40
  • S Social3.84
  • I Investigative3.45
  • E Enterprising1.78
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Post-Secondary Certificate55%
  • Some College Courses10%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree32%
  • Post-Baccalaureate Certificate3%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (51%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (65%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (53%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Speakingbasic3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.64.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Monitoringbasic3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Coordination3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Service Orientation3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Operations Monitoring3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Complex Problem Solving3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Social Perceptiveness3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Writingbasic3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
Show the other 23
  • Learning Strategiesbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Identify an alternative approach to help trainees who are having difficulties
  • Active Learningbasic3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Operation and Control2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Time Management2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Systems Analysis2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Negotiation2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Persuasion2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Quality Control Analysis2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Instructing2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Systems Evaluation2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Sciencebasic2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Mathematicsbasic2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Management of Material Resources2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Troubleshooting2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Management of Financial Resources1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Equipment Selection1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Technology Design1.61.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust exercise equipment for use by a customer
  • Operations Analysis1.50.9
  • Programming1.50.9
  • Installation1.3—
  • Equipment Maintenance1.0—
  • Repairing1.0—

Tasks

20 core · 8 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.4.9
  2. Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.4.8
  3. Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.4.8
  4. Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.4.7
  5. 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.4.7
  6. Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.4.7
  7. Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.4.7
  8. Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.4.7
  9. Verify the identity of patient or operative site.4.7
  10. Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.4.6
  11. Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.4.6
  12. Operate sterilizing devices.4.6
Show the other 16
  1. Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.4.5
  2. Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.4.5
  3. Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.4.5
  4. Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.4.4
  5. Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.4.3
  6. Adjust and maintain operating room temperature, humidity, or lighting, according to surgeon's specifications.4.2
  7. Assist in applying casts, splints, braces, or similar devices.4.2
  8. Remove patient hair or disinfect incision sites to prepare patient for surgery.4.1
  9. 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.4.5
  10. Monitor patient intra-operative status, including patient position, vital signs, or volume and color of blood.4.5
  11. Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.4.4
  12. Incise tissue layers in lower extremities to harvest veins.4.2
  13. Postoperatively inject a subcutaneous local anesthetic agent to reduce pain.4.2
  14. Insert or remove urinary bladder catheters.4.1
  15. Assist in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques.3.8
  16. Transport patients to operating room.3.6

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Medicine and Dentistry4.25.9
  • Education and Training3.95.0Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Public Safety and Security3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • English Language3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Biology3.14.2Level 4 looks like: Investigate the effects of pollution on marine plants and animals
  • Customer and Personal Service3.03.7Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Computers and Electronics2.93.3Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Engineering and Technology2.92.8
Show all 33
  • Administration and Management2.82.0Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Physics2.82.9
  • Psychology2.83.9Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Chemistry2.72.6
  • Mathematics2.72.8
  • Production and Processing2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Mechanical2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Design2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Telecommunications2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Administrative2.22.3Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Communications and Media2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Law and Government2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Philosophy and Theology2.23.2Level 4 looks like: Understand another culture's religious practices
  • Economics and Accounting2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Therapy and Counseling1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Building and Construction1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Sales and Marketing1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Transportation1.5—
  • Foreign Language1.40.6Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Geography1.41.0Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Food Production1.0—
  • History and Archeology1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Finger Dexterity4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Near Vision4.04.3Level 5 looks like: Read the fine print of a legal document
  • Oral Expression3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Problem Sensitivity3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Speech Clarity3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.83.5Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
Show all 52
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Written Comprehension3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Control Precision3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Information Ordering3.63.5Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Deductive Reasoning3.53.6
  • Inductive Reasoning3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Manual Dexterity3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Selective Attention3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Multilimb Coordination3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Perceptual Speed3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Flexibility of Closure3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Hearing Sensitivity3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Diagnose what's wrong with a car engine from its sound
  • Written Expression3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Auditory Attention3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Category Flexibility3.13.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Reaction Time3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Trunk Strength3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Visualization3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Far Vision3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Memorization3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Recite the first names of the five people you just met
  • Speed of Closure3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Static Strength3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Time Sharing3.02.9Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Wrist-Finger Speed3.02.8Level 3 looks like: Carve roast beef in a cafeteria
  • Extent Flexibility2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Fluency of Ideas2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Originality2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Depth Perception2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Number Facility2.82.6Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Explosive Strength2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Stamina2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Dynamic Strength2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.42.6Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Rate Control2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Response Orientation2.01.5Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Glare Sensitivity1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.3—
  • Sound Localization1.3—
  • Spatial Orientation1.1—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Assisting and Caring for Others5.06.4Level 7 looks like: Care for seriously injured persons in an emergency room
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.65.7
  • Getting Information4.54.4Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.55.3Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.55.8
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.45.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.45.4Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.35.8
Show all 41
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.35.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.34.9Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.35.5Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.14.6Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.94.8Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.84.5Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.74.0Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Processing Information3.74.3Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Training and Teaching Others3.64.4Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Working with Computers3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Developing and Building Teams3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Thinking Creatively3.43.9Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.72.7
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others5.0
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Physical Proximity4.9
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.9
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.6
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.6
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.5
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.5
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.4

Technology

10 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (4)

  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
Other tools (6)
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Nursing documentation software
  • Patient scheduling software
  • Patient tracking software
  • Supply documentation software
  • Surgery workflow communication software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Surgical Technologists
  2. Anesthesiologist Assistants
  3. Paramedics
  4. Emergency Medical Technicians
  5. Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
  6. Respiratory Therapists
  7. Medical Assistants
  8. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
  9. Nursing Assistants
  10. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.