What does an Anesthesiologist Assistant do?
An Anesthesiologist Assistant assists the anesthesiologist and cares for patients before, during and after procedures. Prior to a procedure, they gather all the information the anesthesiologist will need to prescribe the right type and dose of anesthesia. If the patient needs medications or interventions prior to the procedure, the assistant orders or performs them. During the procedure, the Anesthesiologist Assistant administers the prescribed anesthesia and closely monitors patient vital signs. Following the procedure, the assistant manages the care the patient receives until they’re out of recovery or intensive care.
Anesthesiologist Assistant skills and qualifications
A quality candidate for your open Anesthesiologist Assistant position will possess certain skills that will allow them to work well with the rest of the anesthesiology team and effectively care for your patients, including:
- Scientific and medical knowledge to direct their activities when delivering patient care
- Listening skills to effectively question patients and members of the care team
- Strong oral and written communication skills to collaborate with the care team and record patient data
- Problem-solving skills to respond to emergency situations quickly
- Critical thinking skills to diagnose symptoms patients are exhibiting and modify care to address them
- Expertise in using and maintaining key equipment, including EKG machines, endotracheal tubes, gas anesthesia apparatuses and intensive care ventilators
- Time management skills that will allow them to monitor multiple patients without sacrificing the quality of care
- Ability to use medical record-keeping software and basic computer software for accessing email, creating spreadsheets and doing word processing
Anesthesiologist Assistant experience requirements
An Anesthesiologist Assistant who has the required training and certification may not require previous work experience to succeed in their role. If your facility is a teaching hospital and the assistant will be training and educating anesthesiology students, you may wish to hire a candidate who has two or more years of experience in the field.
Anesthesiologist Assistant education and training requirements
An Anesthesiologist Assistant must be certified and licensed to work in the field. To obtain certification for Anesthesiologist Assistant careers, a candidate must earn a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science in Anesthesia (MSA) degree from an accredited post-secondary institution. Normally, these programs last for 18 to 24 months and include a clinical internship. After completing the necessary education, the assistant applies for certification through the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants and takes a written examination administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners. States may have additional educational or training requirements for licensing.
Job description samples for similar positions
If this job description doesn’t exactly match the needs of your facility, check out the job descriptions for these positions related to Anesthesiologist Assistant careers:
Anesthesiologist Assistant job description FAQs
What is the difference between a CRNA and an Anesthesiologist Assistant?
A CRNA is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. CRNAs receive post-graduate education and complete internships prior to certification. Once they’re fully licensed, these specialist registered nurses can administer anesthesia on their own. An Anesthesiologist Assistant’s job duties can only be performed under the supervision of a CRNA or an anesthesiologist. If the patient load of your facility requires that a medical professional be able to work independently, you may wish to hire a CRNA instead of an Anesthesiologist Assistant.
Is an Anesthesiologist Assistant a Physician Assistant?
No, an Anesthesiologist Assistant is not the same as a Physician Assistant. The post-graduate training that an Anesthesiologist Assistant undergoes focuses solely on anesthesia, while Physician Assistants receive training in a range of medical specialties, excluding anesthesia. If your facility needs a medical professional who can perform other tasks in surgical settings, you may wish to hire a Physician Assistant instead of an Anesthesiologist Assistant.
Can an Anesthesiologist Assistant work in any facility?
Each state develops its own laws regarding the licensing of medical professionals. As of December 2021, only 18 states and territories allow Anesthesiologist Assistants to practice: Alabama, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont and Wisconsin. If your facility is located outside of these areas, you’ll need to hire a CRNA to administer anesthesia or a physician assistant to support your surgical care team.
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