Anesthesia Assistants: Qualifications and Responsibilities

2008-05-02 10:40:42

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



Anesthesia assistants, also known as anesthesiology physicians assistants, are health care professionals who complete an academic and clinical training program, and who have the qualifications and competence to work under the direction and supervision of an anesthesiologist. As you may be aware of, anesthesia administration during a surgery is an important aspect of any kind of operation. Because a single mistake in the administration would be costly to the life of the patient, anesthetist would want to be careful and rely on the assistance of qualified and competent anesthesia assistants.

Some of the responsibilities of anesthesia assistants include active participation in preanesthetic evaluation where you help the anesthesiologist review all the available data you have gathered from the surgical team. You may also be asked to participate in administering and maintaining the anesthesia, and also in observing the condition of the patient while undergoing surgical procedure. Depending on the rules and guidelines of the hospitals, other specific responsibilities of anesthesia assistants may vary from one hospital to another.

Requirements to Become Anesthesia Assistants

The requirements to become one of the anesthesia assistants are not that easy. In addition to premedical undergraduate background, you must have a master's degree specializing in anesthesia to be qualified for applying the program. After you have finished the program, you will also need to pass the national certification examination for anesthesia assistants. Once you earn your certification and have begun practicing your profession, you will still need to submit credits in continuing education or certification renewal.

Practice Regulations

Regulation of anesthesia assistants depends on the state where you will practice your profession. There are some states which allow those who pass the licensure examination for anesthesia assistants to practice as physicians assistants. You may want to check if this is the rule in your state.


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