Anaesthetist
What's it like to be an Anaesthetist?
An Anaesthetist (Kairehu) is a specialist medical professional who provides anaesthetic drugs, sedation and other pain management drugs to patients undergoing surgery. They also monitor patients throughout the process and for a time after. Depending on the surgery, an Anaesthetist may administer general or local pain relief or anaesthesia. Anaesthetists also need to know how to deal with potential allergic reactions to drugs, and how to resuscitate critically ill patients. They generally work in hospitals, which often requires working long hours, over weekends and public holidays. They may also need to be on call.
Tasks and duties
- Examining patients prior to operations to determine the type of anaesthetic or sedation to be used.
- Discussing medical procedures with patients and obtaining their consent prior to surgery.
- Preparing patients for anaesthesia and monitoring and caring for them before, during and after surgery.
- Administering local, regional and general anaesthetics and sedation using a variety of methods such as inhalation and intravenous.
- Supervising the transfer of patients to operating theatres, positioning them on operating tables, keeping them warm and responding quickly if any problems arise.
- Recording details of anaesthetic and sedation administered.
- Communicating with other health care workers to provide treatment for patients requiring intensive care or resuscitation.
- Diagnosing allergic and anaphylactic reactions to anaesthetics, and supervising treatment in life-threatening emergencies.
How to become an Anaesthetist
To work as an Anaesthetist in New Zealand you need a medical degree and specialist training, as well as registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand.
Focus on science subjects in your final year at school, as well as English.
Complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB). This usually takes five years of study.
After completing your degree, work for two years in a supervised junior doctor role in a hospital. While this can include up to 12 months in anaesthesia or intensive care, the purpose of these two years is to gain a generalised knowledge of medicine.
Continue with five years of specialist, supervised on-the-job training in anaesthesia, after which you’ll need to pass exams to become a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.
Register with the Medical Council of New Zealand. Registration must be renewed every year.
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