Oral Surgeons doing surgery and providing anesthesia

[wtbcrna]

http://gma.yahoo.com/man-dies-wisdom-teeth-removed-201504759.html

I will never understand how it is acceptable for oral surgeons with a few months (hopefully at least that much) of anesthesia training providing anesthesia and doing surgery at the same time. We would never allow this in the OR, but somehow it is acceptable practice in the dentists' office....

[loveanesthesia]

I made sure my son had someone monitoring him-beside the oral surgeon. I had to look around and did not use the office I was referred too. I also sat in the waiting room and listened to the pulse ox. Amazing to me that anyone things it's a good idea for the surgeon to give sedation, muck around in the mouth and try to operate.

[SycamoreGuy]

Its kinda funny that the ASA's position statement says that CRNAs should be supervised by Physicians or Dentist, so the Oral Surgeons 2 or 3 months of anesthesia training trumps the CRNAs 24 to 36 months.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I agree. It's scary.

If you talk to some of these guys, they'll say how they've fully trained their assistants. Remember most (not all) dental assistants have been trained on the job and those that are "certified" have not gone through any really involved edu. It's all on how to hand tools to the dentist, take easy xrays and sterilize and make impressions for crowns. Dental assisting is not difficult.

Some states require licensed anesthetists to be the ones putting you under and remaining through resus others do not. Some require the dentist and two assistants to be in the room: one to monitor and one to assist the dentist. Moinitor? Really? someone who has no idea what they are monitoring? "Oh the thingy is beeping!" Really? The dentist and the assist are supposed to have ACLS. But ACLS is worthless if you never use it and have not had the *(#$^ scared out of you to see how you'd handle a real situation as you would in nursing with RR. Lots of dentists use Propofol in these situations and will kinda strut around about how they've had extensive training and can handle it - which immediately is worrisome. Their assistants will be kinda ballsy about it too as UAP ususally are. My gut says if someone dumps out on them, everyone is going to run away and all that's gonna happen is that someone will call 911, an that's gonna be too long a wait.