Surgical Assistant

Join to apply for the Surgical Assistant role at Advocate Health Care.

This range is provided by Advocate Health Care. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$34.90/hr - $52.35/hr

• Provide first or second assisting for specified surgical procedures as needed and assigned for patients of all ages.
• Incise tissue.
• Provide surgical field exposure by providing retraction.
• Assist with maintaining a dry surgical field, hemostasis.
• Clamp, cauterize and/or ligate bleeders.
• Assist with identification of anatomical structures.
• Utilize surgical instruments for their intended purpose.
• Assist with or perform wound closure.
• Assist with or apply skin sutures and staples.
• Assist with or apply dressings.
• Provide assistance in preparation for surgical procedures utilizing aseptic technique.
• Assist with positioning of the surgical patient of all ages as directed by the circulating nurse.
• Assist patients of all ages with skin preparation (shave, scrub, painting per MD preference).
• Insert Foley catheter when indicated.
• Perform surgical draping of incision site on patients of all ages.
• Ensure appropriate equipment and supplies are available and functional for the OR suite.
• Assist in the preparation of the OR suite for surgical procedure.
• Report equipment repair needs to manager.

Graduated from an Accredited Surgical Assistant Program with a minimum of one year of OR experience.

US medical residency program MD candidates must obtain a surgical assistant certification within two years of hire date.

• Good communication skills.
• Good writing skills.
• Appropriate clinical skills.
• Ability to work well and cooperatively with others.
• CPR certified.
• Surgical Assistant certified.

• Must be willing to work with exposure to body fluids, waste and chemicals, radiation, hazardous materials, anesthesia gases and life‑threatening diseases.
• On‑call availability (nights, weekends, holidays).
• Rotating shifts.
• Flexibility to deal with changing environments.
• Ability to respond quickly to emergencies.
• Work in high‑stress situations.
• Ability to respond to fire and other codes (e.g., evacuate patients).
• Recognize the needs and behaviors of a variety of age groups of patients treated.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance.
• For patient lifts of over 35 pounds or when patient is unable to assist, patient handling equipment is expected to be used with at least one other associate when available; unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case‑by‑case basis.

Seniority level:
Not Applicable.

Employment type:

Full‑time. Job function:
Other. Industries:
Hospitals and Health Care.

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