The evolution and formalization of anesthesia assistant roles across Canada
Authors' conclusion
This compilation of pan-Canadian AA data shows diverse models of practice and highlights the value to patients and the health care system as a whole of incorporating these allied professionals into the anesthesia care team (ACT).
Study context
- Population
- Canadian university anesthesia departments (Association of Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia (ACUDA) chairs or delegates) reporting on anesthesia assistant (AA) practiceinstitutions in 8 provinces
- Participants
- 19 participants
Methodological detailssurvey of Canadian academic anesthesia departments, purposeful sampling of ACUDA chairs or delegates
- Survey of Canadian academic anesthesia departments
- Purposeful sampling of ACUDA chairs or delegates
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- AA roles vary across provinces in technical, clinical and educational responsibilities
- AA role in equipment maintenance, airway management, resuscitation, RA assistance and brief intraoperative relief of anesthesiologists well established
- AA duties evolving, more aligned with the institution and less dependent on the supervising anesthesiologist
- No known formal metrics on patient safety events or perioperative efficiency collected across Canada, apart from initial Ontario anesthesia care team (ACT) pilot metrics
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
The evolution and formalization of anesthesia assistant roles across Canada. Can J Anaesth. Published 10 September 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →