<span title="Anaesthesiologists/anaesthetists?">Anaesthesiologists/anaest...</span>

Question

just reading some wikipedia pages and it said that an anaesthetist can pretty much sedate for all types of ops, so does that mean an anaesthesiologist's job can essentially be done by a nurse? if so, what's the point of physicians even specialising in it?

Answer 1

Don&#039;t know why the myth of us being the best paid persists.  Maybe in 1970, that was the case.  Not now, not by a long shot.

Anyway, mid-level providers (CRNA&#039;s in anesthesia) can do much of what we do, but we have significantly more training and education.  We medically direct cases in most instances.

When the p**p hits the fan, they call us.  It never happens the other way around.  

Most of the time, things go smoothly.  There are times when I am directing a CRNA that I have to step in and intubate, or come in and manage difficulties that are going on.  Some CRNA&#039;s do nerve blocks, some don&#039;t.  Some do spinals and epidurals, some don&#039;t.  Anesthesiologists do it all. And, we are ultimately responsible for the well-being of the patient.

Most of the nurses I work with are excellent.  A few, not so much.

It&#039;s sad and misleading that some CRNAs purport to do the job that physicians do.  They do SOME of what we do, not ALL of what we do.

Answer 2

There are so many complications involved in anaethesia that a doctor trained specifically to respond to those issues must be on hand during surgery.  It&#039;s a very difficult field, and that&#039;s why anaesthesiologists are often the best paid of any medical specialist (other than a plastic surgeon).

Answer 3

These are good answers.  To be more in depth, the reason anesthesiologists can sedate for all kinds of operations is because it requires such a highly specialist to be fully educated in the field of Anesthesiology.  There are a myriad of different anesthetics due to the fact that a certain anesthetic that works wonders on one patient can kill another patient.

In any event, the suggestion that a nurse can do what a physician can for the reasons you describe is a non-sequitor.  Anesthesiologist can sedate for all types of procedures because they go through several years of training, which nurses do not receive.

Honeytartine: I should just clarify that anesthesiologist are BY FAR not the best paid type of physician.  Radiologists and cosmetic surgeons are on the top of the list.

Answer 4

I had that same q

but basically the anaes. takes ALL the responsibility if anything goes wrong w/ the sleeping dose.  plus they monitor it and stuff.  this is a specified shot by the anaes.

Answer 5

There are mid-level practitioners in many specialties. They do a fine job, but if things get complicated, you want the pro right there, right now.

Answer 6

The answer is NO. Physicians are key in complex cases and when things go pear shaped, a nurse cannot cope with such occurances.