Anesthesia Technologist

Cellsaver is almost a no-brainer to operate. The training courses from the manufacturers are three days long, and cover a surprising amount of material in those three days, more than enough to cover operating this relatively simply machine.

None taken. We have a formal training, sort of where we train with perfusionists during cardiac cases. Tohugh, there's really not much to it.

I was an anesthesia tech for a hospital called Cox in Springfield, MO just one year ago... I did the exact same things kbs1288 mentioned previously and I had NO formal training. I went through an extensive hands on training for six weeks with "mentors" that'd worked for seven plus years with the hospital. It was just following them around and doing what they did until I got it down. When I got on with this particular hospital there were two other new hires and we just learned together. I'm not sure I'd do the school if you can just get hired on and be trained.

see one do one teach one.. it's all rote.. from the top to the bottom.. someone told me once (a crna) that anyone can learn the trade, but knowing the ins and outs is where it counts.. i don't particularly follow this philosophy.. but in a way, i can see the "validity"..

yeah...when I was a tech, we ran a couple different models...we were trained by the companies (medtronic, and fresenius) in a one day class. it is a lot more basic than a baloon pump, and it is not directly connected to a patient...we could spin it, but we could not hang the blood...it is pretty straight forward

It seems like the term means different things in different countries and duties can vary.

At the hospital where I work, CRTs and RRTs work in the role of anesthesia tech and basically help the anesthesiologist/CRNA with intubation/extubation, monitoring the patient, drawing ABGs, etc. Not really anything outside of what a respiratory therapist would do when working a MedSurg unit or ICU, but the pay is higher.

I work in WI as a certified Technician. I also went to a "school". First it does pay to go. I make 21.00 per hour and with OT I grossed 77,000 last year. You have to go to a approved school. You can find them on the ASATT website. There is 2 tiers one is a tech and the next one is a technologist. The first is about basic patient stuff and the later is more the engineering and advanced patient things. The school is tough. I call it a single elimination program one strike and your done. The "group" is pretty tight nit I know alot of the grads from the last 10 years. we network alot. Yes we run Cell savers, Level ones and do alot of Techy things. Mostly we are the scape goats for anything that goes wrong so we have to "remind" our guys what they might be missing. Each facility is different and there is not much continunity around so you have to earn your respect. Contact me if you want more specifics.

hands on is a process that alot of healthcare providers learn from. the docs didnt have exstensives classes in putting certain lines and doing other procedures. they learned it at bedside and from watching and doing the procedure over and over ie.."hands on". I didnt learn alot about the vent while i was in schoole, so when i got to the unit they had the unit resp tech give me a run through and plus i was assigned every vent pt for about 2 months...now i consinder myself fairly competent as far as basic trouble shooting the vent. i learned by "hands on training" or ojt "on the job training".

I am going for my cert. as an anesthesia tech. we do need to have knowledge and the ability to run the cell savers. In fact here in York pa. we will soon go to all the techs running them and not perfusion. I also have no idea what the difference is between anesthesia techs and technologists.