Anesthesia Technician

Job Description

Basic Purpose of the role

The Anesthesia Technician assists the anesthesia team prior to, during, and following patient procedures in various Operating rooms. 
The Anesthesia Technician checks and supplies anesthesia carts and machines, checks and replaces anesthesia gas tanks, disassembles used anesthesia equipment, disinfects machines and supply carts, replaces used products and prepares transducers for invasive hemodynamic monitoring. This position has significant patient contact while assisting in transport and procedures. This position works collaboratively with Anesthesia and Nursing staff. In addition, the incumbent assists with the preparation of anesthesia supplies both preoperatively and post operatively by cleaning, maintaining, packaging, ordering, and inventorying of anesthesia supplies.

Key responsibilities of the role

Ensures the provision of optimum clinical care, customer satisfaction and patient safety.

Demonstrate ability to adapt to varied age-specific patient populations.

Maintains an effective rapport with patients, visitors, physicians, and other members of the hospital team.

Promotes confidentiality and uses complete discretion when discussing information.

Works collaboratively with other staff members to provide continuous service to the organisation.

Ability to express self in the areas of communication verbal, written and non-verbal.

Demonstrates knowledge of current computer system used in the organisation.

Demonstrates adherence to safety and risk management policies as evidenced by in-service attendance records and employee practices.

Ensures the reporting of all adverse events, incidents and near misses.

Contributes to investigations of complaints and incidents and draft responses as required in a timely manner.

Contributes to the monitoring of key performance indicators and developing action plans as required

Other responsibilities

Participates as the primary assistant to Anesthesia for procedures in the Operating Room
Prepares anesthesia supplies:
 Preoperative:
• Ensure anesthesia carts are supplied and machines are in each room prior to the beginning of the surgery schedule and
between procedures. Checks and replaces anesthesia gas tanks as needed.
• Retrieve special anesthesia supplies that are anticipated and/or requested by the person administering the anesthetic before
and during surgery.
• Prepares complex equipment and supplies for hemodynamic monitoring. This varies based on location and may include
peripheral arterial and pulmonary artery catheter transducers, EKG, pulse oximeter, and nerve simulators.
• Ensures monitoring equipment and supplies are ready.
• Ensures the anesthesia machine is ready for use including troubleshooting and correcting problems. May perform daily
anesthesia equipment inspections including suction, electrical plugs, gas connections, oxygen and nitrous oxide cylinders.
• May assist in positioning patients for procedures.
 Intraoperative:
• Provide and set up disposable materials needed to collect shed blood. Based on location, may set up equipment for delivering
salvaged and banked blood products with Cell Saver and Rapid infuser.
• Aseptically assemble autotransfusion disposables.
• Assist in dressing and securing IVs and Arterial lines.
• Assist Anesthesia during intubating and extubating procedures as directed.
• Restock all used supplies as needed during a surgery.
• Dispose of contaminated materials and disinfect equipment in accordance with general operating room P&P concerning
biohazardous waste.
• Maintain awareness of physiological parameters and baselines of patients during a surgery.
 Postoperative:
• Clean anesthesia equipment in the Operating Room and outside locations following each procedure.
• Clean, maintain, and package used anesthesia materials and equipment.
• Inventories and orders anesthesia supplies.
• Run errands as requested by anesthesiologists/CRNAs/charge RN/other team members as appropriate to facilitate the
preparation and conduct of anesthesia. Perform additional duties as requested by other team members.
• Trouble shoot broken equipment and fix as directed by clinical engineering
 

Participates as assigned on committees, working groups and other organization activities.

Communicates with patient care team ongoing changes in patient’s plan of care and unit activity.
Contributes to product evaluation at unit levels and participates in trials related to new product lines as appropriate.

Acts as a preceptor to less experienced staff as required.

Patient and family teaching as required.

Actively participates in organisational change in a constructive manner.

Actively participates in the Clinical Competency Programme.

Actively participates in the process for ensuring the organisation achieves and maintains JCIA status.

Engages in health promotion activities in the organization and community.

Responsible for educating less experienced staff in adverse drug reaction and the process to be followed for medication errors.
 

Compliance guidelines

Participates in the development of policies and procedures in the units.

Understands actions of medication and contraindications, evaluates patient’s response, identifies side effects and initiates appropriate action. 

Responsible to ensure that on a shift basis at unit level, the monitoring, replacement, storage and administration of Narcotic and Controlled Drugs is in accordance with Ministry of Health and Department of Health Narcotic Policies and Procedures.
Maintains confidentiality regarding patient/staff information.

Ensures all nursing and allied health staff maintains confidentiality regarding patient/staff information.
Promotes positive public relations with patients, peers, medical staff and members of the general public.

Collaborates with personnel from non-clinical department/disciplines regarding issues that may negatively impact patient care;  facilitate solutions as needed.
Adheres to requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines and Infection Control Guidelines.

Understands and adheres to emergency preparedness plans/policies.

Maintains compliance in relation to the Occupational Health and Safety standards.

The position does have exposure to malodorous, infectious body fluids from patients and some minimal exposure to noxious smells from cleansing agents.

The position requires exposure to infectious wastes such as blood and body fluids that mandate the wearing of gloves, masks and goggles for every actual or potential exposure.

Facilitates effective communication between the patient, family and the interdisciplinary health care team as required.

Demonstrates improvement in clinical practice as a result of application of new theoretical knowledge and technology.

Initiates or participates in Nursing and or other disciplines research that contributes to continual improvement in standards of care.

Obtains accredited and non-accredited Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) Units in compliance with Department of Health and the organization’s requirements.

Actively participates in the annual system of performance review.
 

Qualifications, Certifications and Experience

Anesthesia Technician Program (Minimum two (2) years course duration) from nationally recognized institution/college
Maintains valid, current licensure. 
BLS, certified.
Certified proof of yearly CME.

Specialist certifications is advantageous.

Minimum of 2 years clinical experience.
International accreditation experience is an advantage.
The ability to influence and implement change.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Able to work independently and collaboratively with others.
Organized and able to work methodically.
Excellent leadership skills.
Able to relate to people from different cultural backgrounds.
Fluent in both written and spoken English.
 

Physical requirements

The position requires a considerable amount of physical work. The individual must be able to quickly manoeuvre throughout halls, stairways and patient rooms in response to hospital emergencies. The following denote the key physical requirements for the job, which may require: Standing, Simple Grasping, Fine Manipulation, Operation Machinery / Equipment, Lifting / overhead reaching, Twisting, Climbing / Balancing, Crouching / Squatting, Reaching and Manual handling of people of approximately 100kg.  Lifting equipment must be used whenever practicable.

In addition the position requires office work involving extensive use of the computer and interdepartmental coordination. Typical physical demands include: a high degree of manual dexterity to sufficiently perform computer functions on a keyboard, produce materials on a PC and operate basic office equipment, normal or corrected vision and hearing, extensive sitting and walking, mobility sufficient to visit with departments or employees throughout the facility and lift up to 13 kgs.