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    Re: ATTN: To Sean and Ben becoming a Anesthesia.Technician(A.T.) Archived Message

    Posted by DC on April 28, 2008, 1:08 pm, in reply to "Re: ATTN: To Sean and Ben becoming a Anesthesia.Technician(A.T.)"

    Hi Ben it depends on what state you live in and what hospital have on the job training what I would do is find out what hospitals in your area that have on the job training or can make an exception for you. There are 5-6 Accredited schools in the nation to become an A.T./A.T.T. obtaining a 1 year Certification, 2 years Associate Degree in Science, & 5 years Baccalaureate of Science Degree( In Anesthesia Technology).

    Explain to them you are going to school to become a Anesthetist(AA-C) with in a year or two and you have done some research on Anesthesia Technician and Technologist and their scope of practice and you feel becoming an A.T. would be a great stepping stone in becoming an AA-C/CRNA.


    keep in mind every state is different on what you "can" or "can't" do as a A.T./A.T.T. even though It's in our scope of practice the goal is for A.T.s/A.T.T.s to be "License" so that we are
    allowed to utilize our skills at any hospital in all patient care setting regardless what state we live or work in.

    I'm assuming your looking at becoming a AA-C?..I would also call several hospital and try speaking to a A.T. or A.T.T. and find out how can you shadow them in their daily task in the O.R. in all settings and off site areas(Cath lab,MRI,Angio,GI,ICU,ER,etc.)if you like it then I would try to get on as a regular staff(A.T.).

    Make sure you pair up with a A.T./A.T.T. preceptor with many years of experience Cer. or none Cer. you can learn a lot from both, try working with a A.T./A.T.T. who are ACLS/PALS Certified that can teach you about different "rhythms", "medication", and "shocking" a patient when operating a "CODE" in the O.R. or off site areas.

    Find out what A.T./A.T.T. actually operate intra-aortic balloon pump machine, operate cell saver machine, operate level one auto rapid machine, operate FMS auto rapid machine, start IVs, draw up and push medication under the supervision of a MDA or AA-C/CRNA, operate anesthesia machine as well as trouble shoot, train, & teach, assist in floating a Swan-Ganz Catheter(PA), perform ABG/TEG, set up & draw back from patient lines ART, CVP, PA . Try working in specialty areas such as Transplant(Hearts and Livers, Adult&Pedi"both"), Major Trauma, & Neuro(crani- head).

    You will be surprise how much you will learn as a A.T./A.T.T. and the knowledge you will have under your belt in becoming a AA-C or CRNA but again mostly AA-C It will look good on your admission application when applying to AA-C program as a allied health care professional.

    Why?..Nurses have there 1-2 years skills in ICU in becoming a CRNA, and A.T./A.T.T. have their 1-2 years skills in O.R. setting receiving patients from all ICU specialties, E.R., Floor status patients, and Off site area patients in becoming a AA-C when having a Bachelor of Science Degree in allied health care not nursing.

    Other allied health care professional who work in ICU/O.R. setting with 1-2 years skills with a Bachelor of Science(Health) besides nursing who become AA-C with out going to nursing school just to become a Anesthetist(CRNA)they are RCP, RRT, & CCP.

    With the exception there are nurses BSN and ADN who are AA-C(Anesthetist) who have met the requirements and prerequisites to be admitted to AA program as excellent anesthesia providers FACT!, other allied and nursing health care professionals who function as a Cer. A.T./A.T.T. they are RRT, RCP, LVN, LPN, RN, PM, EMT, Cpht & ST. Fact! there are Cer.A.T./A.T.T. who are Cpht(Certified Pharmacy Technician as well). I hope this help you in many ways take care and good luck to you in your AA-C career

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