Anesthesia Tech Day Date in the current year: March 31, 2024

The introduction of anesthesia was a breakthrough in medicine because it enabled the painless performance of surgeries and other medical procedures that otherwise would cause severe or even intolerable pain. The medical specialty focused on anesthesia and other aspects of perioperative care of patients is anesthesiology, and physicians specialized in anesthesiology are called anesthesiologists or anesthetists. Additional healthcare professionals involved in the provision of anesthesia include nurse anesthetists, certified anesthesiologists assistants, anesthesia technicians, and anesthesia technologists.

Anesthesia technicians and technologists, often collectively referred to as anesthesia techs for short, are allied healthcare workers who assist licensed anesthesia providers (anesthesiologists, anesthesiologist assistants and nurse anesthetists) with the administration and monitoring of anesthesia. Some people erroneously use the terms “anesthesia technician” and “anesthesia technologist” interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two.

Anesthesia technicians provide general support to anesthesiologists. They are mostly in charge of keeping anesthesia equipment working properly (maintaining the equipment, monitoring its functionality, testing, sterilizing, calibrating, troubleshooting, keeping a log of equipment servicing and inspection, operating some of the equipment) and transporting patients. In most states, all that’s required to become an anesthesia technician is a high school diploma, a course in medical terminology, and on-the-job training.

Anesthesia technologists have more responsibilities than technicians. In addition to keeping equipment running properly, they may be tasked with taking a patient’s vital signs before the administration of anesthesia and monitoring them during surgery, assisting anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists with waking patients, keeping track of supplies, drawing and analyzing blood samples, etc. To become an anesthesia technologist, one normally needs to earn an associate’s degree or complete a post-secondary certification program.

Anesthesia techs are an integral part of any anesthesia patient care team. They can work in a variety of professional settings, including operating theater suits and anesthesiology departments, intensive care units, emergency departments, day surgery clinics, and dental practices.

Anesthesia Tech Day is celebrated on March 31, and the week including it is observed as Anesthesia Tech Week. It is filled with meetings, conferences, symposiums, seminars and webinars, fundraisers, and other events and activities coordinated by the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT), an international professional society with a focus on establishing the allied health profession of anesthesia technology.