Description should include the following members of the surgical team and their roles:

Surgeon—Physician who performs the surgical procedure
Surgeon assistant—Physician who works alongside the surgeon as needed to aid with the surgical procedure
Circulating nurse—RN outside the sterile field who supervises the equipment, sponge count, personnel, supplies, and sterile field and also documents the procedure
RN First Assistant—RN who plays a hands-on role in surgical procedures by controlling bleeding, suturing incisions and wounds and intervening if complications arise at the operating table
Scrub nurse—RN/LPN at the operating table, part of the sterile field, who assists the surgeon and anticipates his/her needs
Surgical technologist—An allied healthcare professional who functions as a scrub nurse but without administering medications
Anesthesiologist/nurse anesthetist—Physician/nurse who administers anesthesia and monitors the patient throughout the surgical procedure
OR aide—Aide who obtains equipment and supplies from outside the operating room, as needed
Vendors—Outside agency staff that provide products, services, and/or equipment

Process/Skill Questions:

What are the educational and certification requirements for each member of the surgical team?
How do the duties of surgical team members overlap? Why?
In the operating room setting, how do the roles of the circulating nurse, the scrub nurse, and the surgical technologist differ?