Anesthesia Support Services

Anesthesia Technician

The department consists of 49 operating suites in four separate locations, as well as 19 outside OR Anesthesia delivery locations, three pre-operative areas, and three post-operative areas. These areas support Surgical Specialties and a Level One trauma program with a caseload of >125 cases daily. The department provides both inpatient and outpatient services. The Anesthesia Technician provides assistance to anesthesiologists by maintaining and stocking anesthesia instruments and supplies for the operating rooms, assembling and setting up anesthesia equipment, performs complex and moderately complex laboratory tests, transports blood for massive transfusion protocol, and performs common and complex anesthesia procedures to ensure the best possible patient care is attained. Functions in all areas of OHSU where anesthesia could be administered in both inpatient and outpatient services on Marquam Hill and South Waterfront.

Function/Duties of Position

• Anesthesia Equipment, Instrument and Supplies Maintenance: Checks inventory and, if appropriate, requisitions and restocks supplies; rotates dated items on shelves; participates in equipment and supply evaluations; troubleshoots and maintains equipment and supplies such as ETCO2 gas analyzer, anesthesia machine, EKG monitor, pulse oximeter, and blood gas instrument; makes minor repairs or refers to Clinical Engineering for repairs; calibrates equipment such as blood gas instrument and pressure transducers, ETCO2 Analyzer, pressure transducers, and oximetric swans; cleans and sterilizes anesthesia machines and equipment after surgeries and performs necessary maintenance; performs stat analysis of patient blood samples.
• Anesthesia Equipment Set Up: Monitors surgery schedule to ensure operating rooms are equipped with appropriate anesthesia supplies and equipment; checks anesthesia machines and monitors prior to surgery assembles and assists with insertion of invasive monitoring lines; sets up anesthesia equipment prior to surgery including arterial transducers, cardiac output computer, and humidified breathing circuits.
• Assists anesthesia provider with a wide variety of procedures including: induction/intubation; rapid sequence induction; difficult intubation; LMA insertion; nasal intubation; endo-brochial tube placement; bronchial blocker tube placement; awake fiber-optic intubation; IV placement; central line placement; PA catheter placement; antecubital central line placement; use of ultrasound; RIC catheter placement; epidural catheter placement; spinal placement; combined spinal – epidural; nerve blocks following sterile techniques. Is a sterile member of the team while assisting with line placements. Performs intra-operative blood recovery and re-infusion per procedures. Assists operating room personnel with handling, checking of blood and blood products per procedures. Provides Autotransfusion services and STAT laboratory functions including Point Of Care Tests (POCT) to all OR areas. Releases POCT orders written by anesthesia providers prior to testing. Manages the Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) carts and assists in MH crisis.
• Rapidly responds to massive transfusion activations. Transports blood products urgently from laboratory to any of the Peri-Op/MSPU locations.
• Other duties: Records and interprets laboratory data and hemodynamic readings. Accurately fills out Autotransfusion record. Performs other duties as assigned by the physician.

Required Qualifications

• National Certification as an Anesthesia Technician OR
• Associates degree or higher in a health-related field from an accredited institution of higher education with course work in Anatomy, Physiology and Chemistry OR
• Completed 2 years full-time college-level courses including Anatomy, Physiology and Chemistry OR
• 2 years experience as an Anesthesia Technician AND
• Basic Life Support (BLS) – Current

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree

Additional Details

Must be able to work under the following conditions: Surgical setting requiring a strict dress code and adherence to infection control policies; function and participate in a learning environment; work beyond regular scheduled hours, as needed; take 24-hr calls as assigned by Manager. Assist with trials of new products and equipment.

Why Apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu