Anaesthetic Technician

Anaesthetic Technicians are healthcare workers employed in the New Zealand Health Service and the Australian Health Service. Anaesthetic Technicians are mainly employed by Anaesthetic Departments or Operating theatre Suites, but can be found in other areas of clinical practice including the Emergency Departments, Intensive Care Units and Day Surgery Clinics.



Job Description
Anaesthetic Technicians are involved with all aspects of the delivery of a patient's perioperative anaesthetic care, taking into account the patients' religious and cultural beliefs and respecting their right to medical privacy and dignity at all times.

Prior to anaesthesia
Anaesthetic Technicians prepare equipment needed for the patient to safely undergo anaesthesia. This involves :-
 * checking & setting up the anaesthetic machine
 * preparing intravenous drugs
 * preparing Intravenous therapy administration equipment
 * preparing a range of devices to maintain the patient's airway (e.g. laryngeal masks, endotracheal tube)
 * communicating with the patient when they arrive into the operating theatre, verifying the pre-operative checklist for allergies, informed consent and past medical history.
 * applying anaesthetic monitoring to help assess the patients' condition whilst under anaesthesia. This may include electrocardiography (ECG), blood pressure and oxygen saturation devices.  The monitoring of other parameters such as anaesthesia depth monitors (EEG, Bispectral index etc) may also be necessary.

During anaesthesia
The Anaesthetic Technicians role includes assisting with :-
 * inducing & maintaining adequate anaesthesia
 * establishing & securing an airway
 * making sure that patient's are positioned in such a way NOT to cause discomfort during their procedure
 * monitoring patients' vital signs and anaesthesia depth
 * temperature monitoring and regulation
 * collection and analysis of patient (blood) samples
 * acquiring transfusion fluids and equipment

After anaesthesia
Anaesthetic Technicians assist the anaesthetist with :-
 * waking the patient
 * removing airway devices
 * transferring the patient to the Post anesthesia care unit (PACU)
 * handing over patient information to the PACU staff

Other activities
Regional variations exist, but Anaesthetic Technicians may be involved with include:-
 * Intra-operative Blood Salvage
 * Arterial line insertion & monitoring
 * Peripheral IV line insertion
 * Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
 * Central IV lines

Anaesthetic Technicians in New Zealand
Anaesthetic Technicians work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team that includes doctors, nurses and support workers. The New Zealand Anaesthetic Technicians Society currently hold a voluntary register of members.

Registration
Anaesthetic Technicians have been accepted as needing registration as a profession under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. This group are in the final stages of sourcing a regulatory body. Regulation is an important step in the future growth of this group within New Zealand healthcare and will mirror recent changes within the United Kingdom NHS regarding similarly trained personnel obtaining registration with the Health Professions Council.

Qualification
After a recent review and restructuring of the existing qualification for Anaesthetic Technicians in New Zealand, a Diploma of Applied Sciences (Anaesthetic Technology) is now the national base qualification. This is studied for throught Auckland University of Technology.

Other (international) qualifications may also be acceptable for working as an Anaesthetic Technician in New Zealand. These can be more closely investigated through the New Zealand Anaesthetic Technicians Society.

Conference
7th - 10th November 2007 at the Sky City Convention Centre, Auckland

Registration
Currently, there is no compulsory regulatory body that exists in Australia to standardise the qualification necessary to work as an Assistant in Anaesthetia. The Australian Society of Paramedical Officers or ASAPO was hence created to try and standardise the profession by way of a voluntary registration process. Members are currently working toward and lobying both levels of government for a complusory registraion process, to be regulated by an official government body.

Health Training Package
There is currently a review underway for the Health Technicians Training Package. This Training Package includes national qualifications for health technicians and is still in the preliminary stage of review. Updates on this review can be found at the Health Training Package HLT02 Review website here -

Qualification

 * Diploma of Anaesthetic Technology - Integrated Care Management New South Wales
 * Diploma of Science (Anaesthetics) - Southbank Institute of TAFE Queensland

New South Wales

 * Albury-Wodonga Private Hospital
 * Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

Queensland

 * Gold Coast Hospital
 * Logan Hospital
 * Mater Misaccordae Health Services
 * Prince Charles Hospital
 * Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
 * Queen Elizebeth II Jubilee Hospital
 * Toowoomba Base Hospital

Victoria

 * Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital


 * Bendigo Health

Western Australia

 * Royal Perth Hospital
 * Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital
 * Princess Margarets Hospital for Children
 * King Edwards Maternity Hospital

World Conference

 * The Inaugural World Conference For Anaesthetic Paramedical Officers was held at Jupiters Casino at the Gold Coast on the 9th - 12th November 2006.

Related Links - New Zealand

 * New Zealand Anaesthetic Technicians Society, New Zealand based Anaesthesia Assistants Society
 * Auckland University of Technology, Auckland University of Technology
 * Australian Society of Paramedical Officers, Australian professional self-regulatory body
 * Australia & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
 * Wikithesia, An Anaesthesia devoted Wiki

Related Links - Australia

 * , Health Training Package Review Website
 * Australian Society of Paramedical Officers, Australian professional self-regulatory body
 * Australia & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
 * Wikithesia, An Anaesthesia devoted Wiki