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Ask UNF: What you need to know about anesthesia
Each year, more than 26 million people in the United States undergo some form of medical treatment requiring anesthesia. Here’s what Dr. John McDonough, director of UNF’s Nurse Anesthetist Program, has to say regarding what you need to know about anesthesia before undergoing surgery.
When people talk about having an anesthetic, what does that actually mean?
Anesthesia can be seen as progressing in stages, depending on the needs of the patient and surgeon and because of the procedure the patient is having done. These stages progress from a little bit of medicine to help you relax during a minor surgical or diagnostic procedure, to a complete general anesthesia experience where you are unconscious and your vital functions, such as breathing, are controlled for you by the anesthesia specialist who is taking care of you.
What kinds of health professionals give anesthesia to patients?
The administration of anesthesia is frequently done by professionals with four types of state licenses. They are nurses, who perform approximately 65 percent of all anesthetics in the United States, allopathic physicians (MD), osteopathic physicians (DO) and dentists (DDS or DMD). The important issue for the patient is not the specific profession, but rather the qualifications of the professional. You are entitled to know the qualifications of people providing your care. When planning a major anesthetic, qualifications are very important. If the anesthesia provider is a nurse, that person should have the credential CRNA, which stands for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. This indicates that the nurse has undergone extensive specialized post-graduate education in the theory and practice of anesthesia and passed the National Certification Examination. MD anesthesia providers should be certified as an anesthesiologist, a physician specializing in anesthesia, by the American Board of Anesthesiology. With a DO, the certification may be either the American Board of Anesthesiology or the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology. Dentists should be certified by the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology.
Is it safe to have anesthesia?
Anesthesia is not only safe, but also required to do most types of operations. According to a report from the Institute of Medicine, anesthesia care today is nearly 50 times safer than it was 20 years ago. Over this period, there has been a dramatic reduction in anesthesia mortality rates, which are now approximately one in 240,000 anesthetics. Anesthesia is much safer now than it has ever been due to great technological advances, increased education and clinical experience and better pharmaceutical research and development. Your specific risk is determined by your health status and the operation to be performed. Obviously, the anesthesia specialist and the surgeon both create plans to reduce your risks to the lowest level possible.
Why does the anesthesia provider ask me so many questions about my health history, medications and behaviors?
During your time in the operating room, the professional administering your anesthesia is taking care of you, not merely keeping you asleep or comfortable. Every disease or condition that you have before you come to the operating room, you still have when you get there. It’s important for the anesthesia specialist to understand your current health status, diagnoses, medication history and certain behaviors to be able to create and carry out the best plan of anesthesia care for you. A one-size-fits-all approach is not compatible with quality care. Your anesthesia plan will be customized for you and your needs.
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