Anesthesiology

Anesthesiology is a discipline within the practice of medicine specializing in the medical management of patients who are rendered unconscious or insensible to pain and emotional stress during surgical and certain medical procedures. It involves preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative evaluation and treatment.

Preoperatively anesthesia interventions begin with the alleviation of anxiety and apprehension from the fear of the unknown. It continues with the administration of anesthetic medication for intraoperative stress and continues into the recovery period with pain management and avoidance of nausea. The anesthesia care team is responsible for protecting life functions and vital organs under the stress of surgical and other medical procedures. Anesthesiologists also manage cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pulmonary care and critically ill patients in special intensive care units.

Anesthesia Care Team
The anesthesiologist is a doctor who, after medical school and internship, has chosen to specialize in anesthesiology. All anesthesiologists have at least three years of training after medical school, most have four, and a few have more. They then become board certified.

The CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) have a bachelors degree in nursing, one year of acute care nursing, and three years of nurse anesthesia training. They then become certified.

The anesthesia care team's job is to keep you safe and comfortable during surgery and recovery from anesthesia. Once you enter the operating room, the anesthesia care team NEVER leaves your side until you are safe and stable in the post anesthesia care unit (recovery room).