First assistant vs operating room nurse

The differences between first assistants and operating room nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an operating room nurse has an average salary of $68,255, which is higher than the $52,444 average annual salary of a first assistant.

The top three skills for a first assistant include patients, patient care and surgical procedures. The most important skills for an operating room nurse are patients, BLS, and acls.

First assistant vs operating room nurse overview

	First Assistant	Operating Room Nurse
Yearly salary	$52,444	$68,255
Hourly rate	$25.21	$32.81
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	3,202	545,487
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	43	44
Years of experience	-	2

What does a first assistant do?

First assistants to surgeons are in charge of assisting surgeons in the smooth execution of the operation's procedure and completion. They are the ones who will prepare the patient for surgeries, hand surgeons the needed tools, hold incisions open so that surgeons can easily perform the operation, transport patients to their rooms, and maintain the cleanliness of the operating room. They must also be able to withstand long hours of standing to complete surgical operations and agility to rush in case of emergencies.

What does an operating room nurse do?

An Operating Room Nurse assists surgeons during operations and keeps the operating room sterile at all times. They ensure that patients are ready for transport to the recovery room.

First assistant vs operating room nurse salary

First assistants and operating room nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	First Assistant	Operating Room Nurse
Average salary	$52,444	$68,255
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $73,000	Between $42,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	-	Urban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between first assistant and operating room nurse education

There are a few differences between a first assistant and an operating room nurse in terms of educational background:

	First Assistant	Operating Room Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

First assistant vs operating room nurse demographics

Here are the differences between first assistants' and operating room nurses' demographics:

	First Assistant	Operating Room Nurse
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5%	Male, 14.8% Female, 85.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 9.4% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	10%	9%

Differences between first assistant and operating room nurse duties and responsibilities

First assistant example responsibilities.

Teach patients and family members how to manage their post operative home care needs, self-administration of medication and rehabilitation
Execute and monitor strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remains within budget.
Obtain health history via phone prior to surgery and triage patients upon arrival to the ASC.
Insert Foley catheters and intravenous catheter, if need.
Assist in orthopedics, plastics, ENT, urology, gynecology and ortho-neuro cases.
Provide preventative maintenance ensuring vessel's compliance with USCG regulations, inspections, and certificates.

Operating room nurse example responsibilities.

Post op surgery assist recovery nurse with obtaining vitals signs and attaching EKG leads and oxygen.
Achieve departmental goals and objectives by instituting SGNA standards and processes for inpatient and outpatient care.
Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
General surgery, ortho, GU, GI and ENT and dentals.
Complete BLS and ACLS certification.
Specialize in GYN, urology and orthopedics.

First assistant vs operating room nurse skills

Common first assistant skills

Patients, 24%
Patient Care, 16%
Surgical Procedures, 11%
Visualization, 6%
Suturing, 4%
CPR, 4%

Common operating room nurse skills

Patients, 21%
BLS, 13%
Acls, 7%
Surgical Procedures, 4%
PACU, 3%
Pre-op, 3%

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First Assistant
First Assistant vs Operating Room Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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