About Us:
Plastic Surgery Center of Hampton Roads (an Inspire Aesthetics Group Partner) strives to provide a comfortable, compassionate, safe plastic surgery experience. With over 90+ years of plastic surgery experience, our award-winning plastic surgeons are well-known for listening to our patients and delivering beautiful results. From our pre-operative care center to our AAAASF accredited, fully appointed surgical center, we provide our patients with a caring, positive experience from the very first appointment and throughout their care.
Summary/Objective
The Surgical First Assistant provides advanced intraoperative support to the plastic surgeon and surgical team, ensuring safe, efficient, high-quality care throughout cosmetic surgical procedures. This role assists during the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative phases to optimize surgical outcomes and maintain the highest standards of patient safety and sterile technique.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Pre-Operative Duties
- Review surgical schedule, patient records, and procedure plans prior to cases; ensure understanding of surgeon preferences and patient needs.
- Assist with patient positioning, skin preparation, sterile draping, and verifying implants/devices as required.
- Prepare and confirm the availability, functionality, and sterility of surgical instruments, supplies, and equipment.
- Participate in surgical time-outs and pre-op safety checks.
Intra-Operative Duties
- Serve as the first assistant to the surgeon during elective cosmetic procedures including body contouring, breast procedures, facial aesthetic surgery, and other plastic surgery cases.
- Provide exposure and visualization of the operative field through retraction, suctioning, irrigation, and tissue handling.
- Assist with hemostasis using cautery, ligation, clamping, and other techniques.
- Assist with dissection, suturing, closure of incision layers, and application of dressings as directed by the surgeon.
- Anticipate surgeon needs and maintain efficient surgical workflow.
- Ensures sterility of supplies, instruments, and equipment while in the operating room.
- Assists surgical team in maintaining a sterile environment.
- Assists in gathering necessary surgical supplies, instruments, and equipment.
- Transports all surgical supplies, instruments, and equipment to appropriate cleaning areas.
- Assists in sterilization and cleaning of instrument sets.
Post-Operative Duties
- Assist with the application of dressings, compression garments, and wound care as appropriate.
- Ensure accurate counts of instruments, sponges, and needles at case completion.
- Assist with patient transfer to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and provide handoff communication.
- Support post-operative documentation and debriefs.
Team & Operational Support
- Collaborate effectively with surgeons, anesthesiologists, circulating nurses, and surgical technologists to ensure smooth operations.
- Assist with maintaining, organizing, and restocking surgical instruments and supplies.
- Support quality improvement, safety protocols, and compliance with accreditation standards.
Qualifications
- CSFA certification
- operating room experience, preferably in plastic, cosmetic, or ambulatory surgery.
- Experience specifically in ambulatory cosmetic/plastic surgery settings.
- Demonstrated knowledge of sterile technique, surgical instrumentation, hemostasis, and tissue handling.
- Current BLS and ACLS certification
- Strong attention to detail, communication skills, and ability to anticipate surgeon needs.
- Familiarity with body contouring, breast aesthetics, and facial cosmetic surgery instruments and techniques.
Skills & Competencies
- Exceptional interpersonal and teamwork skills
- Ability to maintain composure in fast-paced surgical environments
- Commitment to patient safety, confidentiality, and quality outcomes
- Proficient in perioperative workflow and surgical protocols
Work Schedule
- Four 10 hour days
- Typically 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM