The Anaesthetic Assistant is responsible for providing essential support to the anesthesiology team within the Operating Room environment. This role involves the technical preparation and maintenance of anesthesia equipment, assisting with clinical procedures, and ensuring patient safety throughout the perioperative process.
Responsibilities
- Equipment Management: Setup, test, and calibrate physiological monitors and equipment including anesthesia machines, airway devices, infusion devices, nerve stimulators, patient/fluid warming devices, and fiber optic bronchoscopes.
- Maintenance & Troubleshooting: Perform regular equipment checks, maintain records of technical issues, and troubleshoot anesthetic equipment. Liaise with theatre managers, biomedical engineers, and manufacturer representatives to resolve hardware problems.
- Clinical Support: Assist the anesthesiologist with the insertion of peripheral venous lines, arterial lines, central venous catheters, and pulmonary artery catheters. Assist with physiological monitoring (ECG, Pulse oximetry, NIBP).
- Intraoperative Care: Adjust therapies such as ventilation, temperature control, and fluid flow rates under the anesthesiologist's direction. Perform random blood sugar and arterial blood gas sampling as requested.
- Supply Management: Maintain stock levels of drugs and anesthetic supplies at anesthesia workstations and replace equipment supplies as per schedule.
- Emergency Assistance: Act promptly during anesthetic emergencies by providing emergency airway equipment, aspirating secretions, and deflating airway cuffs.
- Patient Transfer & Logistics: Assist in transferring postoperative, ventilated, or anesthetized patients to the Post Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU), ICU, or HDU. Arrange for the transport of lab samples and collection of blood products.
- Infection Control: Participate in the operating theatre's infection control program and maintain the cleanliness of anesthetic equipment.
Requirements
- Education: Diploma or equivalent qualification, or completion of an Anesthesia Assistant Course.
- Certification: Certificate in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
- Professional Training: In-service course completion in Basic Nursing skills and Anesthesia.
- Experience: A minimum of 3 years of experience in an Operating Theatre environment is preferred.
