Clinical Officer- Anesthetist

POSITION OVERVIEW:

To provide high quality clinical care to patients.  Under the direction of the Head of Anesthesia, the Clinical Anesthetist’s primary responsibility is to provide patients with anesthesia-related care before, during, and after medical procedures.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

1. Performs pre-anesthetic screenings by discussing with patient and/or parent/guardian the type of anesthetics planned, explain the risks, and answer patient questions to alleviate any anxiety.
2. Assesses patients’ medical histories to predict anesthesia response.
3. Complete and document preoperative assessments on patients undergoing anesthesia
4. Inform the Head of Anesthesia and the Anesthesia team when patients require further treatment before anesthesia and/or when patients may be unstable before, during or after anesthesia.
5. Monitors patients’ responses including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
6. Manages patients’ airway or pulmonary status using techniques such as endotracheal intubation and extubating, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, and respiratory therapy.
7. Selects, prepares, or uses equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.
8. Selects, orders, and administers anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products.
9. Maintain records of all observations and anesthesia provided.
10. Responds to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
11. Contribute to quality patient care by participating in case planning.
12. Performs or manages regional anesthetic techniques such as local, spinal, epidural, caudal, nerve blocks and intravenous blocks.
13. Evaluates patients’ post-surgical or post-anesthesia responses, taking appropriate corrective actions or requesting consultation if complications occur. Administers post-anesthesia medications or fluids to support patients’ cardiovascular systems.
14. Discharges patients from post-anesthesia care by providing a comprehensive evaluation of the patient to the recovery nurse.  If no recovery nurse, then the Clinical Anesthetist will monitor the patient until fully recovered and ready for discharge to the ward.
15. Review of patients post-operatively in the ward and answer any questions the nurses may have concerning the patient and anesthesia.
16. Overseeing of equipment, i.e.  Anesthesia machines, monitors and defibrillators in collaboration with the Biomed.
17. Attend and participate in office devotionals, seminars, in-service education classes, on-the-job training programs, etc.
18. May be required to participate in mobile clinics or community outreach.