What
is Anesthesia?
Anesthesia is the practice of medicine dedicated to the relief of pain
and total care of the surgical patient before, during and after surgery.
Click here for more detailed information.
What
is an Anesthesiologist?
An anesthesiologist is a Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or D.O.) who has completed
four years of specialized traning in anesthesiology, after completion
of four years of medical school. The anesthesiologists at WRAA are also
Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Your anesthesiologist
is responsible for your anesthetic care throughout the peri-operative
period. This includes preoperative evaluation, an anesthetic plan tailored
to your surgery and existing health status, intraoperative direction of
anesthetic care, and postoperative care in the PACU. In certain cases
your anesthesiologist will also be responsible for you postoperative pain
control once you leave the PACU. Your anesthesiologist works with your
CRNA as part of your Anesthesia Care Team.
What
is a CRNA?
A CRNA is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who has earned an advanced
practice degree in nursing and anesthesia by completing graduate-level
education and training in anesthesiology. They are an integral part of
the Anesthesia Care Team and work closely with your anesthesiologist to
provide the highest level of care to you during your anesthetic experience.
What
is an Anesthesia Care Team?
An Anesthesia Care Team includes your anesthesiologist and CRNA. We believe
that this approach provides every patient with the optimal anesthetic
experience as well as the highest standards of patient care. To learn
more about the Anesthesia Care Team approach please visit our affiliate:
The American Society of Anesthesiologists.
What
should I expect from my anesthesia experience?
Your anesthesiologist will consult with you before your procedure. He
will carefully tailor your anesthetic needs to your medical condition
and requirements of your surgery. As you undergo your procedure, your
anesthesia provider will monitor your breathing and vital signs while
controlling your pain and level of unconsciousness to make conditions
ideal for a safe and successful surgery. Your anesthesia provider will
continue to assess your condition until you regain full consciousness.
Click here for a more details about what to
expect before, during and after your anesthesia experience.
Is
Anesthesia Safe?
Anesthesia has never been safer. Over the last 25 years the number of
anesthesiologists has more than doubled and at the same time, patient
outcomes have improved. In the last decade, the number of deaths attributed
to anesthesia have dropped from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 250,000 today.
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