The Anesthesia Technician performs a multitude of technical and supportive patient-care tasks to assist anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists. The anesthetic procedures performed are for a variety of patient ages, ranging from infants to senior citizens.
Responsibilities
- Consults OR schedule to forecast supply and equipment needs
- Prepares anesthetizing locations for specified procedures
- Sets up and calibrates monitoring devices
- Troubleshoots anesthesia equipment failures
- Facilitates the transfer and repair of malfunctioning equipment to the necessary department.
- Assists anesthesiologist by utilizing aseptic or sterile techniques with a variety of invasive and non-invasive patient procedures.
- Invasive procedures may consist of arterial line placement, central intravenous line placement and peripheral line placement.
- Common airway control techniques include: endotracheal, mask and regional anesthesia techniques
- Supports anesthesia team through the physiological monitoring of patients
- Notifies the anesthesiologist of irregular variations in vital signs or patient’s physical appearance.
- Cleans anesthesia equipment, machines and monitors according to Infection Control procedures.
- Stocks anesthesia supplies for emergency airway bags, fiber optic carts, ploss carts and all other anesthetic supply locations.
- Transports equipment and supplies as necessary to designated anesthesia teams
- Is available for immediate assistance in routine and emergency procedures.
- Maintains certification by fulfilling annual continuing education requirements.
Education
- Employers generally require two years of college courses in the studies of anatomy, biology, physiology and any other related scientific fields.
- In general, most employed technicians have earned an Associate’s degree with many possessing a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree.
- It is important for aspiring Anesthesia Technicians to earn accreditation from the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians.
- Many hiring companies prefer that job applicants possess their Technician’s Certification.
Hours
FT: This acronym stands for full-time hours which may vary from 30 – 40 hours per week.
PRN: This acronym stands for pro re nata. In the medical community this simply means as needed.
PT: This acronym stands for part-time which may consist of as little as a few hours per week to 20+ hours per week.
Anesthesia Technician Salary
An Anesthesia Technician’s salary will vary greatly depending on the state of employment.
The national mean average salary for an Anesthesia Technician is $34,649.00.
Job Outlook
Earning the Anesthesia Technician Associate’s Degree enables students to work in hospitals, medical units and surgical centers as Anesthesia Technicians. Job security should remain high for this position because of an increased need for surgical procedures in order to accommodate the aging baby boomer population. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for surgical technicians (anesthesia technicians fall into this category) will grow an estimated 25% from 2008 to 2018.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics | Indeed
