According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation. | 99% |
| Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques. | 98% |
| Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques. | 97% |
| Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary. | 96% |
| Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics. | 94% |
| Assess patients' medical histories to predict anesthesia response. | 93% |
| Perform or manage regional anesthetic techniques, such as local, spinal, epidural, caudal, nerve blocks and intravenous blocks. | 93% |
| Obtain informed consent from patients for anesthesia procedures. | 93% |
| Develop anesthesia care plans. | 93% |
| Perform pre-anesthetic screenings, including physical evaluations and patient interviews, and document results. | 91% |
| Prepare prescribed solutions and administer local, intravenous, spinal, or other anesthetics, following specified methods and procedures. | 91% |
| Calibrate and test anesthesia equipment. | 91% |
| Evaluate patients' post-surgical or post-anesthesia responses, taking appropriate corrective actions or requesting consultation if complications occur. | 91% |
| Administer post-anesthesia medications or fluids to support patients' cardiovascular systems. | 90% |
| Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients. | 90% |
| Perform or evaluate the results of diagnostic tests, such as radiographs (x-rays) and electrocardiograms (EKGs). | 88% |
| Select, order, or administer pre-anesthetic medications. | 87% |
| Insert peripheral or central intravenous catheters. | 86% |
| Insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples. | 85% |
| Discharge patients from post-anesthesia care. | 83% |
| Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing. | 82% |
| Request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests. | 80% |
| Instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses. | 74% |
| Disassemble and clean anesthesia equipment. | 73% |
