Anesthesia Technician

About the Opportunity

National Medical Care is seeking a Full-time Anesthesia Technician to join its medical team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This role is suitable for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, providing essential support within the Anesthesia Services department.

Role Context and Scope

The Anesthesia Technician operates within the Anesthesia Services department, supporting the provision of anesthesia for elective and emergency surgeries, obstetric procedures, and other medical interventions for patients across all age groups, from newborns to the elderly. Primary work areas include major and minor operating rooms, the anesthesia workroom, delivery suites, and the Radiology Department for special procedures. This position involves close supervision and requires strict adherence to professional ethics and the medical by-laws of the Kingdom.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist Anesthetists with assembling supplies and equipment for anesthesia administration and patient monitoring in operating rooms and other required areas.
• Support during anesthesia induction, tracheal intubation, maintenance, and recovery, including performing Sellick’s Maneuver (Cricoid Pressure) as needed in emergency cases.
• Position patients for surgery, including those requiring spinal or epidural anesthesia, with awareness of sterile field requirements.
• Draw blood via an arterial line or direct venipuncture for blood gas or chemistry analysis as per written procedure.
• Ensure the readiness of anesthesia machines by maintaining adequate fresh supplies, changing soda lime and compressed gas cylinders, and replacing EKG electrodes, breathing circuits, and suction apparatus after each case.
• Clean individual anesthesia carts and the anesthesia workroom at the end of the day, ensuring the workroom is neat and organized for the following day.
• Receive delivery of supplies and pharmaceuticals and store them in their proper locations.
• Share "on-call" rotation to provide assistance for emergency surgeries during non-standard working hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Participate in fire and disaster plan drills and attend required staff meetings, daily morning communication meetings, and annual infection control in-service training.
• Maintain confidentiality of patient records and activities within the operating room.

Equipment Management and Technical Acumen

This role requires familiarity with a wide variety of specialized equipment peculiar to anesthesia administration, patient monitoring, and related life support systems. The technician must be familiar with intravenous fluids, fluid, and blood administration systems. Responsibilities include auditing anesthetic equipment and materials for effective operation, reporting deficiencies or faults immediately to the Anesthesiologist or head of department, and performing general cleaning of anesthesia machines, monitoring equipment, and storage spaces. Daily checks of anesthesia machines, gas scavenging systems, and suction apparatus prior to surgery are essential. The technician must also know how to set up, calibrate, and operate all anesthesia equipment and monitors.

Professional Conduct and Environment

The Anesthesia Technician is expected to ensure, through direct or indirect actions, that a superior quality of medical treatment, compassion, and understanding is provided to every patient served at NMC Hospitals and Clinics. This includes abiding by department policies and procedures, as well as hospital by-laws, rules, and regulations within the Quality Program. Maintaining awareness of safety hazards and taking necessary actions to prevent accidents is paramount. The role also involves understanding procedures used and assisting with Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the operating room.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 0-1 years of experience in a relevant clinical setting.
• Demonstrated understanding of the sequence of procedures required for rapid induction and intubation in emergency cases to prevent vomiting and aspiration.
• Ability to learn and keep current with the names of equipment, supplies, and pharmacological agents, and familiarity with their locations.
• Strong commitment to maintaining confidentiality of patient information and complying with hospital dress codes.
• Effective interpersonal skills for interacting with other departments regarding non-clinical requests such as inventory, maintenance, and biomedical services.