Improving Anesthesia Technician Education

Abstract

Introduction: The anesthesia technician is an integral asset to the anesthesia care team, increasing provider support and decreasing stress possibly leading to improved patient outcomes. While the profession of anesthesia has experienced advancement in recent years, the role of the anesthesia technician has remained underdeveloped. One basic role is the set-up of the anesthesia workstation. The purpose of this project was to design and administer anesthesia technician education on the operation of the anesthesia machine and to measure knowledge gained. Methods:A six-item multiple choice pre-test was administered to the participants assessing basic anesthesia machine knowledge which was included in the education module. A post-test was administered immediately after the education to measure knowledge gained.The post-test included several demographic and qualitative questions for quality improvement. Results: A pre-post test comparison demonstrated statistical significance. Overall test mean score increased from 38.9% to 62.5%. Demographics revealed many technicians were inexperienced and not certified. The education was received positively by participants with many requesting additional training. Discussion: The benefits of trained technicians inside and outside of the operating room where support may not be readily available has been demonstrated. Trained technicians can reduce stress of the anesthesia providers improving team dynamics and most importantly patient safety with the potential for better outcomes. Keywords: anesthesia support staff, anesthesia technician, education, training