This document discusses the role of anesthesiologists. It explains that anesthesiologists administer different types of anesthesia depending on the procedure, from general anesthesia for major surgery to local anesthesia for specific regions. It describes the responsibilities of anesthesiologists before, during, and after surgery. These include assessing patient history, monitoring vital signs during surgery, and managing pain after surgery. The document emphasizes that communication is important, such as discussing the medical plan with the patient and informing the surgeon of the patient's status.

1. By: Ethan Waldkirch

2. Overview
 Anesthesiology- The branch of medicine concerned
with anesthesia and anesthetics.
 Anesthesia- Insensitivity to pain, esp. as artificially
induced by the administration of gases or the
injection of drugs before surgical operations
 Anesthesiologists administer different types of
anesthesia depending on the degree of the
procedure. This means for major surgery general
anesthesia is used, where the whole body is
unconscious. For other surgery where a specific
region will be worked on, local anesthesia is used,
where only a portion of the body is affected.

3. What Anesthesiologists Do
Before Surgery
 Before surgery many things have to be
done to ensure the safety of the patient.
Things they must do include:
 Ask the patient for a complete medical history.
 Formulate an anesthetic plan that uses the
patient’s medical history.
 Walk the patient through the procedure.
 Answer any questions they may have.

4. During Surgery
 During the surgery the anesthesiologist
has many different responsibilities such
as:
 Monitor bodily functions such as blood pressure,
heart rate, temperature, body fluid balance, and
breathing rate.
 As the surgery continues, the anesthesiologist may
have to adjust the medication.
 The amount of anesthesia may need to be changed
to compensate for the body’s changes throughout the
surgery.

5. After Surgery
 After surgery, the recovery process begins.
The anesthesiologist gives the patient
medication that begins to reverse the
affects of anesthesia.
 The anesthesiologist decides when the
patient is ready to be moved to his or her
room.
 Once the patient is in their room, the
anesthesiologist manages pain by
prescribing medication as needed to
provide the patient with the best care
possible.

6. Importance of Communication
Communication is very important for an anesthesiologist. Before the
actual procedure starts the doctor must get a complete medical
history from the patient. They must know of any medications that
they are currently taking, allergies, and if they have had surgery
recently. This is vital in forming a plan on how the anesthesiologist
will prep the patient for the procedure. They need to find a
medication that fits with the patient’s health and allergies.
During the surgery communication is vital for the success of the
procedure. They have to tell the surgeon how the patient is doing
and whether or not they can continue with the procedure. Also if the
patient needs more medication, it is important to let the proper
people know in order to keep the procedure going well. Colleagues
and nurses alike need to know what is going on in order for this to
happen, and good communication skills are needed to make this
happen.

7. Examples
 Good and bad examples of
communication in anesthesiology are
found at the following location:
Communcation Videos
 Watch the examples and note the
differences between the two.

8. Poll
 Following these links, please respond to
the following polls:
Poll 1
Poll 2

9. References
 http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/467/A
nesthesiologist.html
 https://www.asahq.org/For-the-Public-and-
Media/Press-Room/Anesthesia-Fast-
Facts.aspx
 http://www.ehow.com/list_6602849_job-duties-
anesthesiologist.html
 http://www.mjhanesthesiology.com/whatyoune
ed/
 http://www.webmd.com/pain-
management/tc/anesthesia-topic-
overview?page=2