First assistant vs surgical nurse

The differences between first assistants and surgical nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a surgical nurse has an average salary of $64,025, 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 a surgical nurse are patients, BLS, and acute care.

First assistant vs surgical nurse overview

	First Assistant	Surgical Nurse
Yearly salary	$52,444	$64,025
Hourly rate	$25.21	$30.78
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	3,202	638,444
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
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 a surgical nurse do?

Generally, a surgical nurse provides patient care before, during, and after surgery. Surgical nurses assist the surgeons and anesthetists whenever necessary. They prepare patients for their surgery and serve the actual procedure. It is part of their job to mark incision sites and sterilize them. They give preoperative instructions, prepare the operating room, and administer medication. The roles they play include being circulating and scrub nurses. Also, they intervene whenever complications occur.

First assistant vs surgical nurse salary

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

	First Assistant	Surgical Nurse
Average salary	$52,444	$64,025
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $73,000	Between $39,000 And $103,000
Highest paying City	-	Thousand Oaks, CA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between first assistant and surgical nurse education

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

	First Assistant	Surgical Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

First assistant vs surgical nurse demographics

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

	First Assistant	Surgical Nurse
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5%	Male, 11.2% Female, 88.8%
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, 12.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	10%	9%

Differences between first assistant and surgical 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.

Surgical nurse example responsibilities.

Manage GI bleeds, asthmatics, bowel resections, fractures, patients with chest and feeding tubes.
Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
Maintain BLS, NRP, ACLS
Prepare patients for procedures, initiate and maintain intravenous therapy, and obtain 12-lead EKG.
Establish care plans and perform care for ICU, CCU, cardiac, and neurological patients.
Serve as a BLS/ ACLS instructor.

First assistant vs surgical nurse skills

Common first assistant skills

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

Common surgical nurse skills

Patients, 31%
BLS, 15%
Acute Care, 7%
Acls, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Quality Care, 3%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
First Assistant
First Assistant vs Surgical Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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