Post job

Explore jobs

Find specific jobs

Explore careers

Explore professions

Best companies

Explore companies

OverviewJobsSalaryResume

Skills

What They DoEducationCertificationsDemographicsJob DescriptionHow To HireBest CompaniesBest StatesBest CitiesJob OutlookComparePart Time jobsEntry Level jobsFull Time jobs
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Surgical assistant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Surgical assistant example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical surgical assistant skills. We ranked the top skills for surgical assistants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 27.3% of surgical assistant resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a surgical assistant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 surgical assistant skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how surgical assistants use patients:
  • Interviewed patients, reviewed patient medical history, gathered and educated patients on their medications.
  • Educated and consulted patients to ensure patients are provided professional knowledge of each individual procedure.

2. 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 surgical assistants use surgical procedures:
  • Ensured surgeon received proper instruments during surgical procedures by continuing to educate myself in both medical and instrument techniques and terminology.
  • Unsurpassed knowledge and expertise in the anatomy, physiology and surgical implications for multiple surgical procedures using a variety of instruments.

3. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how surgical assistants use patient care:
  • Assess patient before, during, and after general anesthesia has been administered* Documentation of patient care and medical history
  • Sterilized instruments and equipment and performed direct patient care by recording vital signs and performing ordered laboratory testing.

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 surgical assistants use vital signs:
  • Provide postoperative care with anesthesia patients monitoring vital signs until patient is conscious; establish patient comfort and review prescribed medications.
  • Administered medications, performed immunizations, and collected vital signs.

5. 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 surgical assistants use cpr:
  • Maintained current CPR certification and actively participates in emergency preparedness familiarity and scenario drills.
  • Trained all staff, insurance processing, receptionist Certified in Dental Radiology and CPR.

6. Infection Control

Infection control describes the principles and practices used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities to control and minimize the spread of infections with the aim of lowering rates of infection. Infection control refers to the process of detecting and controlling pathogens in order to reduce their spread.

Here's how surgical assistants use infection control:
  • Conducted decontamination and sterilization of surgical instruments in accordance with Infection Control Guidelines.
  • Sterilized dental instruments and examinations areas in accordance with infection control policies.

Choose from 10+ customizable surgical assistant resume templates

Build a professional surgical assistant resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your surgical assistant resume.

7. Insurance Verification

Here's how surgical assistants use insurance verification:
  • Complete all insurance verification, order all patient medication and miscellaneous clerical duties.
  • Front office patient scheduling, insurance verification for surgery

8. Pre-op

Here's how surgical assistants use pre-op:
  • Assisted in the implementation of electronic charting for the Pre-Op, Intra-Op, and Post-Op clinical surgical areas.
  • Provided patient with positive/negative pathology results, pre-op, assist, post-op and provided patient education regarding their procedures.

9. General Anesthesia

Here's how surgical assistants use general anesthesia:
  • Assisted dentist and patient during oral surgery including general anesthesia cases.
  • Bone grafting procedures and General anesthesia experience.

10. Surgical Instruments

Here's how surgical assistants use surgical instruments:
  • Provided hands-on assistance to surgeons in skin cancer removal procedures and repairs by providing surgical instruments and equipment.
  • Assisted in the disinfection and sterilization of surgical instruments and equipment post of surgical procedure.

11. DR

DR is an academic title used as a designation for a person(s) who already has obtained a doctorate (Ph.D.) in a particular field of discipline. In medicine, DR is used by medical practitioners whose job is to tend to the sick and diseased regardless of whether or not they hold a doctoral-level degree.

Here's how surgical assistants use dr:
  • Prepared rooms and patients for surgery and assisted Dr. during surgery with anesthesia delivery and monitoring and equipment.
  • Affiliated with the Center for Dermatology, I worked for Dr. Michael Wells who is a MOHS Surgeon.

12. Aseptic Technique

Aseptic technique is a routine measure or series of actions used to prevent or minimize the risk of harmful microorganisms being introduced into a sterile area of the body during procedures that violate the body's natural defenses. The primary aim of the aseptic technique is to eliminate germs, that is, pathogenic microorganisms, to avoid contamination of a wound and other sensitive parts of the body, as this can lead to infection.

Here's how surgical assistants use aseptic technique:
  • Performed preoperative evaluation and preparation; aided with aseptic technique, patient positioning, local ophthalmic anesthesia, retinal surgery.
  • Practice universal precautions and apply aseptic techniques.

13. Suturing

Here's how 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.

14. Catheter

Here's how surgical assistants use catheter:
  • Placed catheters and IVs for procedures.
  • Started IV's and catheters.

15. Sponges

Here's how surgical assistants use sponges:
  • Maintain a proper sterile field during Surgical procedures Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
  • Hold retractors; help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
top-skills

What skills help Surgical Assistants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

List of surgical assistant skills to add to your resume

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

  • Patients
  • Surgical Procedures
  • Patient Care
  • Vital Signs
  • CPR
  • Infection Control
  • Insurance Verification
  • Pre-op
  • General Anesthesia
  • Surgical Instruments
  • DR
  • Aseptic Technique
  • Suturing
  • Catheter
  • Sponges
  • EMR
  • Medical History
  • Scheduling Appointments
  • Retractors
  • Oral Surgery Procedures
  • Sterile Technique
  • Surgical Equipment
  • Front Desk
  • Electrocautery
  • Suture Removal
  • Post-Operative Care
  • EKG
  • Resuscitation
  • Mohs
  • Exam Rooms
  • Wound Closure
  • Patient Education
  • Blood Pressure
  • Tourniquet
  • Urology
  • Consent Forms
  • Instrument Trays
  • Sterile Environment
  • Patient Charts
  • Surgical Suite
  • Surgical Trays
  • Specimen Handling
  • Office Procedures
  • Post-Op Care
  • HIPAA
  • Local Anesthesia
  • GYN
  • Botox
  • Stretchers
  • Treatment Rooms

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

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs