{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-3-1206.41","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 3-1206.41","heading":"Scope of practice.","body":"(a)\nA surgical assistant shall be licensed by the Board of Medicine before practicing as a surgical assistant within the District of Columbia.\n\n(b)\nAn individual licensed to practice as a surgical assistant, as that practice is defined in § 3-1201.02(20) shall have the authority to:\n(1)\nProvide local infiltration or the topical application of a local anesthetic and hemostatic agents at the operative site;\n(2)\nIncise tissues;\n(3)\nLigate and approximate tissues with sutures and clamps;\n(4)\nApply tourniquets, casts, immobilizers, and surgical dressings;\n(5)\nCheck the placement and operation of equipment;\n(6)\nAssist in moving and positioning the patient;\n(7)\nAssist the surgeon in draping the patient;\n(8)\nPrepare a patient by cleaning, shaving, and sterilizing the incision area;\n(9)\nRetract tissue and expose the operating field area during operative procedures;\n(10)\nPlace suture ligatures and clamp, tie, and clip blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry;\n(11)\nUse cautery for hemostasis under direct supervision;\n(12)\nAssist in closure of skin and subcutaneous tissue;\n(13)\nAssist in the cleanup of the surgical suite; and\n(14)\nCheck and restock the surgical suite.\n\n(c)\nA surgical assistant shall not:\n(1)\nPerform any surgical procedure independently;\n(2)\nHave prescriptive authority; or\n(3)\nWrite any progress notes or orders on hospitalized patients, except operative notes.\n\n(d)\nA supervising surgeon shall perform the critical portions of a surgical procedure and shall remain immediately available in the surgical suite for delegated acts that the surgical assistant performs or to respond to any emergency. Telecommunication shall not suffice as a means for directing delegated acts.\n\n(e)\nFor the purposes of this section, the term “supervising surgeon” means a surgeon licensed by the Board who delegates to a licensed surgical assistant surgical assisting and oversees and accepts responsibility for the surgical assisting.","path":["Title 3. District of Columbia Boards and Commissions.","Chapter 12. Health Occupations Boards.","Subchapter VI-C. Surgical Assistants; Scope of Practice; License Renewal; Transition."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/3-1206.41","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"314aa0a59545f44f27a71646b9e2ce71a61a4a1e540a028c239a09b927c39f6b","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-3-1206.34","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-3-1206.42"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}