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Certified surgical assistant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Shanna Chapman DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, APRN
Certified surgical assistant example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical certified surgical assistant skills. We ranked the top skills for certified surgical assistants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 32.8% of certified surgical assistant resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a certified surgical assistant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 certified surgical assistant skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how certified surgical assistants use patients:
  • Administered nursing care under direct supervision to assigned residents and patients in order to achieve maximum level of independence.
  • Specialized in patient interaction to inform patients of their diagnosis, conditions and procedures and/or surgical intervention needed.

2. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how certified surgical assistants use cpr:
  • Certified Intravenous Line placement and maintenance Certified Anesthesia Assistant CPR certification
  • Assisted surgeons in surgical procedures * Patient safety and sterilization protocol * Acquired skills include CPR certification

3. Surgical Procedures

Surgical procedures include the list of tasks that are done while doing surgery. Usually, a surgical procedure involves an incision with instruments, performed to repair damage or heal the disease in a living body. Surgical procedures are performed by trained individuals such as surgeons, doctors, and nurses.

Here's how certified surgical assistants use surgical procedures:
  • Assisted during minor surgical procedures and exams, coordinated tests along with any anticipated follow-up care.
  • Assisted in preparing the operating room before surgery and preformed assigned supportive duties during surgical procedures.

4. Vital Signs

Vital signs are a set of values indicating different body systems' performance. They are measurements of the body's most basic functions. The four major vital signs used in medicine to assess a patient are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

Here's how certified surgical assistants use vital signs:
  • Monitor and Documented Activities of Daily Living, vital signs for each patient.
  • Get vital signs of each patient and log them.

5. General Surgery

Here's how certified surgical assistants use general surgery:
  • Initial duty is the completion of a surgical rotation including cardiac and all general surgery including total joints.
  • Enhanced skill in sports medicine and all aspects of general surgery.

6. Visualization

Here's how certified surgical assistants use visualization:
  • Provide visualization of the operative site during the operative procedure.
  • Provide retraction of tissue and organs for optimal visualization.

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7. Catheter

Here's how certified surgical assistants use catheter:
  • Stock medical supplies, perform laboratory work, draw blood, insert IV catheters, monitor animals during their stay.
  • Assisted nurses with cleaning rectal tube, G-tube, J-tube, and regular catheter insertion.

8. Patient Safety

Here's how certified surgical assistants use patient safety:
  • Cultivate strong relationships with Registered Nurses, Physicians and Medical team to ensure patient safety.
  • Participated in unit council meetings, providing input for improvement for employee and patient safety.

9. Direct Supervision

Direct supervision is a term used to indicate that a person is supervising a certain task or a certain person while being physically present or in close proximity. It refers to the presence of a person and the availability of their supervision in something if it is needed.

Here's how certified surgical assistants use direct supervision:
  • Perform all functions under the direct supervision of the surgeon in accordance with hospital policy and appropriate laws and regulations.
  • Work under the direct supervision of the surgeon to facilitate the procedure and process of surgery.

10. Medical Equipment

Medical equipment refers to apparatus for use in medical procedures.

Here's how certified surgical assistants use medical equipment:
  • Operate all needed medical equipment.
  • Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care.

11. Ortho

Ortho is a medical prefix that refers to straightening something. This is seen in medical professions such as an orthodontist, who straightens teeth, or an orthopedic physician or surgeon, who assists in straightening a skeletal structure to prevent future deformities or harmful issues to develop.

Here's how certified surgical assistants use ortho:
  • Assisted physicians in various procedures: General Surgery, GYM Surgery, Ortho Surgery, Podiatry and Plastic Surgery.
  • General, Plastics and Ortho Cases.

12. Suturing

Here's how certified surgical assistants use suturing:
  • Assisted anesthesiologist during ESI; as well as assisting Plastic, Breast and Surgeons during operations, to include suturing.
  • Assisted surgeons in surgical procedures making incisions, manipulating tissues and organs, cauterizing, suturing and dressing wounds.

13. Urology

Here's how certified surgical assistants use urology:
  • Assist on all sub-specialty robot cases, such as GYN, Urology, Thoracic, and General.
  • Stock Urology and Chest Cart or other medical supplies.

14. Direct Patient Care

Here's how certified surgical assistants use direct patient care:
  • Direct patient care and an intrigue part of the surgical team within the Texas Institute for Surgery.
  • Provided direct patient care per patient plan, personal patient care and assist with ADL.

15. Blood Pressure

Here's how certified surgical assistants use blood pressure:
  • Recorded temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates, p.o and fluid intake and output, as directed.
  • Filled out charts (bowel movements, blood pressures, finances, health exam, etc.)
top-skills

What skills help Certified Surgical Assistants find jobs?

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Shanna Chapman DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, APRNShanna Chapman DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, APRN LinkedIn profile

Director of Nursing Programs, Website

Nursing assistants are pivotal in playing a critical role in providing basic care to patients in various health care settings. This role is extremely important and should not be underestimated. Nursing assistant responsibilities are: 1. Personal Care 2. Vital Signs 3. Mobility Assistance 4. Observing and Reporting 5. Assisting the nurse with procedures such as IV starts, foley catheters, wound care. 6. Maintaining a clean environment 7. Providing support for the patient and caregivers. 8. Assisting with meals that can including feeding 9. Documentation
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about certified surgical assistant

List of certified surgical assistant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a certified surgical assistant resume and required skills for a certified surgical assistant to have include:

  • Patients
  • CPR
  • Surgical Procedures
  • Vital Signs
  • General Surgery
  • Visualization
  • Catheter
  • Patient Safety
  • Direct Supervision
  • Medical Equipment
  • Ortho
  • Suturing
  • Urology
  • Direct Patient Care
  • Blood Pressure
  • Sponges
  • Tourniquet
  • Optimal Results
  • Medical History
  • Retractors
  • Robotic Surgery
  • EKG
  • Patient Education
  • Clamp
  • Surgical Cases
  • Surgical Instruments
  • Patient History
  • Test Results
  • HIPAA
  • Scheduling Appointments
  • Wound Closure
  • ADL
  • GYN
  • Bedpans
  • Electrocautery
  • Allergies
  • Prosthetics
  • Front Desk
  • Visual Fields
  • Examination Rooms
  • Veterans
  • Resuscitation
  • Office Procedures
  • Splints
  • CPT

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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