Do you have Anesthesia Tech's?

NOPE, our techs only restock anesthesia cart supplies, and replace used blades. No patient contact at all.

All depends on their education, training, certification and hospital policies. I have previous experience as an anesthesia tech and was involved in placing lines, cell saver, and balloon pumps in the OR. Since becoming an RN and working in the OR I am not required to keep my ACLS current, but did when I was a certified anesthesia tech. There are some colleges that offer a 4 year anesthesia technologist degree.

We have an LPN that works as our anesthesia tech. She does the usual circuit turnover, stocking, cleaning blades, etc. She also sets up supplies and assists for arterial lines and such. She is available for epidural caths in prescreen and is in the room for most all inductions and assists anesthesiology as needed. This frees the circulator to take care of last minute things for the case, tie up the scrub and count, whatever.

But....she works 4 weekdays/wk and on her day off during the week, we have an orderly that fills in. She's available and assists in all things as our LPN does and has been trained in sterile technique and such. I'm not totally comfortable with an orderly filling this role but given that many anesthesia techs have less training than our primary one, I guess we're fortunate.

I was an anesthesia tech before becoming an RN. It was OJT, however I was an EMT-I at the time. I left just as the certification test was comming into effect. We ran the level one trauma infuser, assisted the placement of swan-ganz cath., a-lines, and if need be start PIV's. It is a growing allied healthcare sector. remember kiddies, if you see "never" the statement is usually wrong:uhoh3: ,

We have an LPN anesthesia tech as well. She does a lot of the pediatric IV starts, assists with difficult intubations, gets the MDA's carts ready. She does not change out the circuits, though, the orderlies do that.

There are still "orderlies"? :rotfl: :smackingf :lol_hitti What a "progressive" bunch we are. :smackingf

There are still "orderlies"? :rotfl: :smackingf :lol_hitti What a "progressive" bunch we are. :smackingf

Tell that to the facility i work for, i'm not the one that gave them that title.

we have anesthesia techs, or I think they call them "assistants" , who just restock for anesthesia, prime lines, and is like a runner just for them...we have "or assistants" who change the circuits during turnover. Neither have pt contact.

Does anyone have any experience with Anesthesia Tech's (from the sidewalk to the OR...no formal training)? Is it legal for them to start IV's?

HELP!

I NEED HELP WITH THIS TOO FOR WE HAVE ANESTH. TECH

AND HE HAS NO FORMAL TRAINING BUT SOMETIMES DOES GET INVOLVED WITH INVASIVE PROCEDURES WITH THE ANESTHIOLOGIST'S SUPERVISION I HAVE TAKEN THIS ISSUE UP WITH MANAGEMENT AT MY HOSP BUT SO FAR THE SITUATION SEEMS TO BE THE SAME

I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS SYSTEM PERIOD!!

hi, i dont know if this is the same thing as i am not sure of your terminology but in the UK we have operating department practioners whos main job is to assist the anaesthetist. the maintain the machines and are responsible f or the anaesthetic room. they assist with induction/rapid sequence anything really that the anaesthetist would need help with.

they also respond to crash calls and the maternity units for help with epidurals and c-sections ect. they can also scrub and circulate if they wish to come over to the surgery side (but most dont)

they are accredited and certified and i really wouldnt want an untrained one having patient contact and doing this sort of stuff.

debbie

hi, i dont know if this is the same thing as i am not sure of your terminology but in the UK we have operating department practioners whos main job is to assist the anaesthetist. the maintain the machines and are responsible f or the anaesthetic room. they assist with induction/rapid sequence anything really that the anaesthetist would need help with.

they also respond to crash calls and the maternity units for help with epidurals and c-sections ect. they can also scrub and circulate if they wish to come over to the surgery side (but most dont)

they are accredited and certified and i really wouldnt want an untrained one having patient contact and doing this sort of stuff.

debbie

I was an ODP in the Bahamas (a former Brit colony).

An ODP that helps anesthesia would be more like a semi- Anesthesia Assistant in the US and much better trained than a tech.

Some of the things that were my legal responsibilites and a part of my classroom/clinical training the Operating theatre outside the US I could NEVER do in the US.

ODP's are a cross between a VERY skilled Surgical Technologist, a surgical assistant and an AA.

Because of the license/grades/bands axilluary staff outside the US tend to be HIGHLY trained.

Not knocking unlicensed staff in the US, it is just different.

:balloons: