Emergency

Abirami Lifeline

Operation Theatre and Anaesthesia Technology

Operation Theatre and Anaesthesia Technology

  • Duration: 4years (including 1 year internship)
  • Intake: 20
Operation Theatre and anaesthesia technician is an allied healthcare worker who assists with the administration and monitoring of anaesthesia and has an extensive knowledge of anaesthetic techniques, instruments, supplies, and technology. Anaesthetic technicians are involved with all aspects of the delivery of a patient’s perioperative (The period, Before, during and after the surgery) anaesthetic care, taking into account the patients’ religious and cultural beliefs and respecting their right to medical privacy and dignity at all times. Anaesthetic Technicians also provide a key role in the emergency resuscitation of patients.

Before the Anaesthesia

Anaesthetic technicians prepare equipments needed for the patient to safely undergo anaesthesia. This involves:
  • Checking and setting up the anaesthetic machine
  • Preparing intravenous drugs
  • Preparing intravenous therapy administration equipments.
  • 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
  • Establish peripheral intravenous access.
  • Applying anaesthetic monitoring to assess the patients’ condition while undergoing surgery 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.).

During Anaesthesia

    • Inducing and maintaining adequate anaesthesia.
    • Establishing and securing an airway.
    • Making sure that patients are positioned in such a way NOT to cause discomfort or injury during their procedure.
    • Monitoring and maintaining patients’ vital signs and anaesthesia depth.
    • Temperature monitoring and regulation.
    • Collection and analysis of patient (blood) samples.
    • Acquiring and administering transfusion fluids and equipment.

After Anaesthesia

Anaesthetic technicians assist the anaesthetist with:
    • waking the patient.
    • removing airway devices.
    • transferring patients to post-operative care unit
Operation Theatre and Anaesthetic technicians are mainly employed by anaesthetic departments or operating theatres, but can be found in other areas of clinical practice including emergency departments, intensive care units (ICU) and day surgery clinics.