Description
Administer anesthesia, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
- • Administer post-anesthesia medications or fluids to support patients' cardiovascular systems.
- • Evaluate patients' post-surgical or post-anesthesia responses, taking appropriate corrective actions or requesting consultation if complications occur.
- • Perform pre-anesthetic screenings, including physical evaluations and patient interviews, and document results.
- • Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients.
- • Select, order, or administer pre-anesthetic medications.
- • Discharge patients from post-anesthesia care.
- • Perform or evaluate the results of diagnostic tests, such as radiographs (x-rays) and electrocardiograms (EKGs).
- • Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
- • Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
- • Perform or manage regional anesthetic techniques, such as local, spinal, epidural, caudal, nerve blocks and intravenous blocks.
- • Prepare prescribed solutions and administer local, intravenous, spinal, or other anesthetics, following specified methods and procedures.
- • Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
- • Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary.
- • Assess patients' medical histories to predict anesthesia response.
- • Develop anesthesia care plans.
- • Obtain informed consent from patients for anesthesia procedures.
- • Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.
- • Calibrate and test anesthesia equipment.
- • Disassemble and clean anesthesia equipment.
- • Insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples.
- • Insert peripheral or central intravenous catheters.
- • Instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses.
- • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
- • Request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests.
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
