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Surgical assistants are skilled healthcare practitioners, trained to provide hands-on assistance to surgeons in all phases of surgical procedures. This Advanced Technical Certificate is designed for Surgical Technologists and requires a current certification as a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) from an accredited program, an Associate’s Degree or higher, and a minimum of 2 years’ experience as a working CST.

The Advanced Technical Certificate in Surgical Assisting is a one-year program that begins in the summer semester and continues in the fall and spring semesters. Classes are offered at the McKinney Campus and online. Enrollment is limited and competitive. Admission to Collin College does not guarantee admission to the Surgical Assisting Program. Upon successful completion of the program the student is awarded an Advanced Technical Certificate in Surgical Assisting and is eligible to sit for the NBSTSA national Certified Surgical First Assist (CSFA) exam.

Surgical Assisting Occupational Description

As defined by the American College of Surgeons, the surgical assistant provides aid in exposure, hemostasis, closure, and other intraoperative technical functions that help the surgeon carry out a safe operation with optimal results for the patient. In addition to intraoperative duties, the surgical assistant also performs preoperative and postoperative duties to better facilitate proper patient care. The surgical assistant to the surgeon during the operation does so under the direction and supervision of that surgeon and in accordance with hospital policy and appropriate laws and regulations.

Job Description

In general, surgical assistants have the following responsibilities:

• Determine specific equipment needed per procedure
• Review permit to confirm procedure and special needs
• Select and place of x-rays for reference
• Assist in moving and positioning of patient
• Insert and remove Foley urinary bladder catheter
• Place pneumatic tourniquet
• Confirm procedure with surgeon
• Ensure draping of patient within surgeon’s guidelines
• Provide retraction of tissue and organs for optimal visualization with regard to tissue type and appropriate retraction    instrument and/or technique
• Assist in maintaining hemostasis by direct pressure, use and application of appropriate surgical instrument for the task, placement of ties, placement of suture ligatures, application of chemical hemostatic agents, or other measures as directed by the surgeon
• Use electrocautery mono and bi-polar
• Clamp, ligate, and cut tissue per surgeon’s directive
• Harvest saphenous vein, including skin incision, per surgeon’s directive
• Dissect common femoral artery and bifurcate per surgeon’s directive
• Maintain integrity of sterile field
• Close all wound layers (facia, subcutaneous and skin) as per surgeon’s directive
• Insert drainage tubes per surgeon’s directive
• Select and apply wound dressings
• Assist with resuscitation of patient during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events in the operating room
• Perform any other duties or procedures incident to the surgical procedure deemed necessary and as directed by the surgeon

Surgical assisting is a specialty profession that requires specific training over and above a degree in science, nursing, physician assisting, or another health profession.