Anesthesiologist Assistants

What the job really is

Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. Monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-1071
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Provide airway management interventions including tracheal intubation, fiber optics, or ventilary support.
• Respond to emergency situations by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), or pediatric advanced life support (PALS).
• Verify availability of operating room supplies, medications, and gases.
• Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.
• Participate in seminars, workshops, or other professional activities to keep abreast of developments in anesthesiology.
• Control anesthesia levels during procedures.
• Assist anesthesiologists in monitoring of patients, including electrocardiogram (EKG), direct arterial pressure, central venous pressure, arterial blood gas, hematocrit, or routine measurement of temperature, respiration, blood pressure or heart rate.
• Administer blood, blood products, or supportive fluids.
• Collect and document patients' pre-anesthetic health histories.
• Assist in the provision of advanced life support techniques including those procedures using high frequency ventilation or intra-arterial cardiovascular assistance devices.
• Monitor and document patients' progress during post-anesthesia period.
• Administer anesthetic, adjuvant, or accessory drugs under the direction of an anesthesiologist.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, eClinicalWorks EHR software, Allscripts PM, Anesthesia breathing bags, Anesthesia vaporizers, Arterial line catheters, Assist-control ventilation equipment

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Anesthesiologists
• Pediatric Surgeons
• Nurse Anesthetists
• Cardiologists
• Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
• Emergency Medicine Physicians
• Critical Care Nurses
• Physician Assistants

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Anesthesiologist Assistants — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.