This course provides the student with an introduction to the fundamentals of surgical assisting in both a first and second role. The students will gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities within the SA’s scope of practice, along with a comprehension of the history of the surgical first assistant profession. The course will provide the students with an opportunity to apply their learned skills and extend their clinical skills to include all phases of surgical patient perioperative care. Emphasis will be placed on preoperative skills such as skin preparation and surgical draping, intraoperative skills which include retraction, hemostasis, tissue handling, and tissue approximation techniques, and postoperative management such as application of dressings and immobilization devices. This course will include a large Lab component that will include 2 hours of instructed Lab time with Faculty, and 2 hours of independent Lab practice time minimum per week.
Prerequisites
All previously required and concurrent courses per the academic plan or with consent of the faculty including completion of surgical technology academic program/certificate. Must have challenged a national surgical technology certification exam at least once.