Anaesthetic Technicians are healthcare workers employed in the New Zealand health service. Anaesthetic Technicians are mainly employed by Anaesthetic Departments or Operating theatre Suites, but can be found in other areas of clinical practice including Emergency Departments and Intensive Care Units.
Anaesthetic Technicians are currently pursuing registration as a profession under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Regulation is an important step in the future growth of this group with New Zealand healthcare and will mirror recent changes within the United Kingdom NHS regarding similarly trained personnel obtaining registration with the Health Professions Council.
Anaesthetic Technicians work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team that includes doctors, nurses and support workers. The New Zealand Anaesthetic Technicians Society currently hold a voluntary register of members.
Anaesthetic Technicians are involved with all aspects of the delivery of a patient's perioperative anaesthetic care, taking into account the patients' religous and cultural beliefs and respecting their right to medical privacy and dignity at all times.
Prior to anaesthesia
Anaesthetic Technicians prepare equipment needed for the patient to safely undergo anaesthesia. This invloves :
- checking & setting up the anaesthetic machine
- preparing intravenous drugs/fluids
- preparing a range of devices to maintain the patient's airway (e.g. laryngeal masks, endotracheal tube)
- communicating with the patient when they arrive into the operating theatre, verifying the pre-operative checklist for allergies, informed consent and past medical history.
- applying anaesthetic monitoring to help assess the patients' condition whilst under anaesthesia. This may include electrocardiography (ECG), blood pressure and oxygen saturation devices. The monitoring of other parameters such as anaesthesia depth monitors (EEG, Bispectral index etc) may also be necessary.
During anaesthesia
The Anaesthetic Technicians role includes assisting with :
- inducing & maintaining adequate anaesthesia
- establishing & securing an airway
- making sure that patient's are positioned insuch a way NOT to cause discomfort during their procedure
- monitoring patients' vital signs and anaesthesia depth
- temperature monitoring and regulation
- collection and analysis of patient (blood) samples
- aquiring transfusion fluids and equipment
After anaesthesia
- Anaesthetic Technicians assist the anaesthetist with :
- waking the patient
- removing airway devices
- transferring the patient to the Recovery Room
- handing over patient information to the recovery staff
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