Anaesthetic Technician

Anaesthetic Technician

An anesthesia technician, known as an anaesthetic technician in British English, is a healthcare professional who assists in the administration and monitoring of anesthesia. They possess comprehensive knowledge of anesthesia techniques, equipment, supplies, and technology. Anaesthetic technicians play a crucial role in delivering perioperative anesthesia care to patients, taking into consideration their religious and cultural beliefs while maintaining their medical privacy and dignity.

Primarily employed by anesthesia departments or operating theater suites, anaesthetic technicians can also be found in various clinical settings such as emergency departments, intensive care units (ICU), and day surgery clinics.

Before Anesthesia

Anaesthetic technicians prepare the necessary equipment for patients undergoing anesthesia, including:
- Setting up and checking the anesthesia machine
- Preparing intravenous drugs and administration equipment
- Ready-ing airway maintenance devices like laryngeal masks and endotracheal tubes
- Communicating with patients upon their arrival in the operating theater
- Establishing peripheral intravenous access
- Applying anesthesia monitoring devices such as electrocardiography (ECG), blood pressure monitors, and oxygen saturation devices, and sometimes anesthesia depth monitors like EEG or bispectral index monitors.

During Anesthesia

Their duties during anesthesia involve:
- Assisting in the induction and maintenance of anesthesia
- Securing the patient's airway
- Ensuring comfortable positioning to prevent discomfort or injury during the procedure
- Monitoring vital signs and anesthesia depth
- Regulating and monitoring temperature
- Collecting and analyzing patient samples, including blood
- Preparing and acquiring transfusion fluids and equipment

After Anesthesia

Post-anesthesia, anaesthetic technicians assist in:
- Waking up the patient
- Removing airway devices

Other Responsibilities

Anaesthetic technicians may also perform additional tasks depending on regional variations, such as:
- Setting up, operating, and monitoring intra-operative intra-aortic balloon pumps
- Inserting and monitoring Swan-Ganz pulmonary artery catheters
- Operating and monitoring intra-operative blood salvage systems
- Conducting arterial blood gas analysis and maintaining analyzers
- Inserting and monitoring arterial lines
- Inserting peripheral IV lines
- Participating in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Managing central IV lines
- Collecting samples for thromboelastography (TEG)