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OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
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32101.02 – Operating room technicians

Operating room technicians prepare patients and provide assistance to medical practitioners prior to and during surgery.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Operating room technician
  • Surgical nursing assistant

Core competencies

  • Monitoring to ensure the correct and complete preparation and sterilization of instruments, accurate patient preparation and adherence to surgical protocols
  • Operation Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment to ensure patient safety by tracking vital signs, anesthesia levels, facilitates effective team communication and aids in post-operative care
  • Perceptual Speed to quickly and accurately identify and respond to the needs of surgeons and patients
  • Hearing Sensitivity to listen closely to surgeons for specific instructions and monitor auditory signals from medical equipment to notify others
  • Attention to Detail to maintain accurate records of supply of fluids and surgical supplies to be used during procedures
  • Knowledge in Physical Health to assess physical conditions of patients and identify changes in vital signs during surgical procedures to alert physicians, maintain supply of fluids and ensure proper operation of equipment

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Prepare patients for surgery by washing, shaving and sterilizing the patients' operative areas
  • Assist in surgery by laying out instruments, setting up equipment, assisting surgical teams with gowns and gloves and passing instruments to surgeons
  • Monitor patients' status during surgery, such as intake, output and loss of blood, and communicate and document any changes
  • Clean and sterilize the operating room and instruments.

Additional information

No data has been provided for this section.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (33102)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

3 – Health occupations

TEER

2 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of two or more years; or supervisory occupations

Major group

32 – Technical occupations in health

Sub-major group

321 – Technical occupations in health (except practitioners of natural healing)

Minor group

3210 – Technical occupations in therapy and assessment

Unit group

32101 – Licensed practical nurses

Occupational profile

32101.02 – Operating room technicians

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.