Certified Scrub Assistant Job Description
Sometimes called surgical technologists, certified scrub assistants support physicians and nurses during operations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for scrub assistants will increase by 25 percent through 2018, resulting in the creation of 23,200 jobs.
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Function
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Certified scrub assistants count the amount of pins, sponges and other equipment before and after procedures to ensure that nothing is inadvertently left inside of a patient. Assistants also prepare patients for surgery, wash and sterilize instruments, set up the operating room and pass instruments to physicians throughout procedures.
Skills
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Successful certified scrub assistants possess attentiveness to detail, the ability to follow directions, organizational skills and multi-tasking capability. The ability to work standing for long periods of time, work well in stressful situations and endure the site of blood and bodily fluids is also necessary for the position.
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Education
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Certified scrub assistants must receive post-secondary education before working in the field. Typically, this involves the completion of a medical training diploma or community college associate's degree program, which requires 9 to 24 months of study to complete, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Certification
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Scrub assistants receive their certification through either the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist or the National Center for Competency Testing, both of which require a written examination. Although certification is voluntary, most employers prefer technologists who have this credentialing.
Compensation
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As of January 2010, certified scrub assistants averaged annual salaries of $44,000, according to Indeed.com.
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