Anaesthesia associates' clinical activity, case mix, supervision and involvement in peri‐operative cardiac arrest: analysis from the 7th National Audit Project
Authors' conclusion
Anaesthesia associates work in enhanced roles, relative to the scope of practice at qualification agreed by organisations.
Study context
- Population
- Anaesthesia care providers in UK departments of anaesthesia reporting to the 7th National Audit Project
- Participants
- 10,009 responding providers
- Comparison
- Anaesthesia associates vs medically qualified anaesthetists
- Anaesthesia associatesn = 71
Methodological detailsbaseline survey, activity survey, case registry
- Baseline survey
- Activity survey
- Case registry
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Clinical activity of anaesthesia associates
- Departments employing anaesthesia associates (of 197)
- 52 (26%)
- Anaesthesia associates among responding providers
- 71 (< 1%)
- Anaesthesia associates working nights or weekends (vs 97% of anaesthetists in training and > 90% of consultants)
- 33 (47%)
- Cases attended by anaesthesia associates (of 24,172)
- 432 (2%)
- Cases with anaesthesia associate as senior provider
- 63 (< 1%)
- Of these, with indirect supervision
- 27 (43%)
Further findings
Peri-operative cardiac arrest training, confidence and involvement
- Less training and confidence in managing peri-operative cardiac arrest and its aftermath vs medically qualified anaesthetists
- Less directly involved in management and aftermath of cardiac arrest; psychological impacts appeared less
Case mix
- Anaesthesia associates do manage high-risk cases (older, comorbid, obese, frail patients)
- Registry cases included higher risk cases (clinical setting and patient factors)
Safety
Complications in cases managed by anaesthesia associates
- Complication rates low, likely reflecting case mix
Original publication
Anaesthesia associates' clinical activity, case mix, supervision and involvement in peri‐operative cardiac arrest: analysis from the 7th National Audit Project. Anaesthesia. Published 11 July 2024. doi:10.
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