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The differences between surgical 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 $61,480 average annual salary of a surgical first assistant.
The top three skills for a surgical first assistant include patients, visualization and patient care. The most important skills for an operating room nurse are patients, BLS, and acls.
| Surgical First Assistant | Operating Room Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $61,480 | $68,255 |
| Hourly rate | $29.56 | $32.81 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 28,503 | 545,487 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A surgical first assistant plays a vital role in a successful surgical procedure. They are primarily in charge of assisting surgeons, such as by arranging and handing over tools, holding open incisions, and dressing surgical wounds. They also perform tasks such as helping patients prepare for surgeries, transporting patients to different rooms, monitoring the inventory of supplies, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas. Furthermore, it is essential to implement the safety protocols and measures before, during, and after surgeries for a safe and successful outcome.
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.
Surgical first assistants and operating room nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surgical First Assistant | Operating Room Nurse | |
| Average salary | $61,480 | $68,255 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $92,000 | Between $42,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | McAllen, TX | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a surgical first assistant and an operating room nurse in terms of educational background:
| Surgical First Assistant | Operating Room Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between surgical first assistants' and operating room nurses' demographics:
| Surgical First Assistant | Operating Room Nurse | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4% | Male, 14.8% Female, 85.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 9.0% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |