Anaesthesia associate
Anaesthesia associates (previously known as physicians’ assistants (anaesthesia)) are part of the multi-disciplinary anaesthesia team, led by a consultant anaesthetist, that looks after patients undergoing many aspects of critical care.
You’ll be trained to provide anaesthetic services, under supervision, in a variety of environments.
As an anaesthesia associate, you’ll provide anaesthetic services to patients requiring anaesthesia, respiratory care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or other emergency, life sustaining services within the anaesthesia and wider theatre and critical care environments.
Although they have very similar names, the role of the anaesthesia associate and the physician associate are very different.
Working life
As an anaesthesia associate, your work will be closely supervised by a consultant anaesthetist and there will be clear boundaries about what you can and cannot do. Typically, the range of duties will include:
- preoperative interviewing and physiological and psychological assessment of patients
- collecting patient information from the patients, taking a history, physical examination, laboratory, radiographic and other diagnostic data and identifying relevant problems
- implementing the anaesthesia care plan
- administering and/or participating in the planned administration of general anaesthetic for a variety of surgical and medically related procedures
- using a broad variety of techniques, anaesthesia agents, drugs and equipment in providing anaesthesia care
- administering drugs as prescribed
- interpreting and utilising data obtained from invasive and non-invasive monitoring equipment
- initiating and managing fluid and blood therapy within the plan of care
- positioning or supervising the positioning of patients to assure optimal physiologic function and patient safety
- identifying and taking appropriate actions related to:
- anaesthesia equipment problems that might lead to patient problems
- common postoperative problems
- record keeping
- participating in audit, complaints, compliments and clinical / non-clinical incidents with a view to improving patient care as part of the wider anaesthetic team
- risk management and health and safety recommendations
- monitoring and maintaining a safe, clean, and therapeutic environment for patients, staff and visitors
- teaching, supervising and assessing other team members
You will also deputise for anaesthetists in a variety of situations where your airway and venous cannulation skills will assist in patient care.
For further information about the role of anaesthesia associates please visit the Royal College of Anaesthetists website and the Association of Anaesthesia Associates website
Who will I work with?
As part of the anaesthetic team, you’ll work as part of a larger team that will typically include anaesthetists, doctors specialising in emergency medicine, theatre nurses, operating department practitioners, surgeons and clinical perfusion scientists.