Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Surgical Assistants *
 
Surgical Assistants
(O*NET 29-9093.00, SOC 29-9093)
What they do
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 First Assistant (CFA), Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA), Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA), Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA), Certified Surgical Technician, Gastrointestinal Technician (GI Technician), Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA), Surgical First Assistant, Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech), Surgical Technician (Surgical Tech)
 
 
Wages
Wage rates not available for Vermont
but may be for the nation and other states at
CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
Health Information Technologists, Medical Registrars, Surgical Assistants, and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other *
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Hospitals; state, local, and private
36%
  • Ambulatory healthcare services
24%
  • Educational services; state, local, and private
7%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service
6%
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services
5%
* You're seeing information for "Health Information Technologists, Medical Registrars, Surgical Assistants, and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other " because it includes "Surgical Assistants" for which industries of employment information is not available.
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Medicine and Dentistry
    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Biology
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Education and Training
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Monitoring
    Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Reading Comprehension
    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
  • Social
    Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Self-Control
    Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Stress Tolerance
    Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
  • Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
  • Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
  • 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.
  • Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
Health Information Technologists, Medical Registrars, Surgical Assistants, and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other *
 Vermont
2020 employment 68
2030 employment 76
Annual percent change
(compounded)
1.1%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
6
* You're seeing information for "Health Information Technologists, Medical Registrars, Surgical Assistants, and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other " because it includes "Surgical Assistants" for which projected employment information is not available.
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
Health Information Technologists, Medical Registrars, Surgical Assistants, and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other *
  • Typical education needed for entry
    Postsecondary non-degree award
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    None
* You're seeing information for "Health Information Technologists, Medical Registrars, Surgical Assistants, and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other " because it includes "Surgical Assistants" for which education and experience information is not available.
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Very Important
  • Level of activity is High
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Medium Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (6.0 to < 7.0) - A typical worker will require over 1 year up to and including 2 years of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  4%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  24%
Bachelor's degree   8%
Associate's degree   25%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  26%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  13%
Less than high school diploma   0%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Finger Dexterity
    The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Near Vision
    The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Verify accuracy of patient information.
  • Maintain sterile operative fields.
  • Position patients for treatment or examination.
  • Protect patients or staff members using safety equipment.
  • Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
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This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 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.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor