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Anesthesiologist Assistants

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

  • Details

  • Work Activities

    • Verify availability of operating room supplies, medications, and gases.
    • 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.
    • Control anesthesia levels during procedures.
    • Participate in seminars, workshops, or other professional activities to keep abreast of developments in anesthesiology.
    • Assist anesthesiologists in performing anesthetic procedures, such as epidural or spinal injections.
    • 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.
    • Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.
    • 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).
    • Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.
    • Monitor and document patients' progress during post-anesthesia period.
    • Collect and document patients' pre-anesthetic health histories.
    • Administer anesthetic, adjuvant, or accessory drugs under the direction of an anesthesiologist.
    • Provide airway management interventions including tracheal intubation, fiber optics, or ventilary support.
    • Assist anesthesiologists in performing anesthetic procedures, such as epidural or spinal injections.
    • Assist in the application of monitoring techniques, such as pulmonary artery catheterization, electroencephalographic spectral analysis, echocardiography, or evoked potentials.
    • Provide clinical instruction, supervision or training to staff in areas such as anesthesia practices.
    • Provide clinical instruction, supervision or training to staff in areas such as anesthesia practices.
    • Collect samples or specimens for diagnostic testing.
    • 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.

    Skills

    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.

    Knowledge

    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    Education

    Education
    Master's degree
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    No on-the-job training

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    156990/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    75.47/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    3,950
    Yearly Projected Openings
    340

    Personality

    Social: People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Self Control
    • Concern for Others

    Tools

    • Anesthesia inhalers or inhaler units
    • Arterial line catheters
    • Blood coagulation multiparameter monitor or meter
    • Cardiac output CO monitoring units
    • Central venous catheters
    • Central venous pressure CVP manometers
    • Electrocardiography EKG units
    • Electroencephalograph EEGs
    • Electronic blood pressure units
    • End tidal carbon dioxide monitors
    • Endotracheal tubes
    • Gas anesthesia apparatus or machines
    • High frequency ventilators
    • Home care ventilators
    • Intensive care ventilators
    • Intracranial pressure ICP monitoring units
    • Intravenous infusion pumps for general use
    • Intubation laryngoscopes
    • Medical acoustic stethoscopes
    • Medical gas cylinders or related devices
    • Medical nasal cannulas
    • Medical oxygen masks or parts
    • Medical ultrasound or doppler or echocardiograph transducer accessories
    • Medical ultrasound or doppler or pulse echocardiograph or echocardiograph units for general diagnostic use
    • Mercury blood pressure units
    • Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles
    • Multiparameter vital sign units
    • Non invasive bi level machines
    • Non invasive continuous positive air pressure machines
    • Oxygen concentrators
    • Peak flowmeters
    • Peripherally inserted central catheters PICC
    • Pulse oximeter units
    • Respiratory monitoring kit accessories
    • Spirometers
    • Surgical nerve stimulators
    • Ventilator accessories

    Technology

    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Inventory management software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software