Introduction of an Anesthesia Assistant System in Cardiovascular Anesthesia

• Published in: Nihon Rinshō Masui Gakkai shi Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 220 - 224
• Main Authors: KUMAMOTO, Taisuke, KUNITOKU, Yuji, HIRAOKA, Chieko, IRIE, Chieko, KATO, Kiyohiko, HARATAKE, Yoshikazu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: THE JAPAN SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL ANESTHESIA 15-05-2023
• Subjects: Anesthesia assistant; Cardiovascular anesthesia; Clinical engineer; Minimally invasive cardiac surgery; Task shifting and sharing
• ISSN: 0285-4945; 1349-9149
• DOI: 10.2199/jjsca.43.220

We have introduced an anesthesia assistant system at our hospital, carried out by clinical engineers, that involves task shifting and sharing of anesthesia work in the operating room. Anesthesia assistants perform a wide range of tasks including preoperative preparation, assistance with anesthesia induction, intraoperative monitoring, entry of anesthesia records, and assistance with exiting the patient from the room. These tasks help reduce the burden on anesthesiologists and streamline surgical processes in the operating room. In cardiovascular anesthesia, it is necessary to respond to ever-changing situations while safely and smoothly performing multiple tasks which are not easy for an anesthesiologist to accomplish alone. We believe that cooperating with anesthesia assistants during cardiovascular anesthesia provides anesthesiologists with more time and mental leeway, leading to improved safety and quality.