At Houston Methodist, the Anesthesia Technician (AT) position provides support to the anesthesia providers and other members of the interprofessional health care team and is directly involved in patient care before, during and after procedures. This position assists with anesthesia-related procedures, troubleshooting of anesthesia-related equipment, and set up, operation, and initiation of patient monitoring in all anesthetizing locations e.g., OR, Cath Lab, Endoscopy, etc., as well as, in preoperative units, post-anesthesia care units, and intensive care units, as deemed necessary or as assigned. The AT position is familiar with all anesthetizing locations, anesthesia supplies, and anesthesia and other related equipment ensuring that assigned locations and items are ready, available, and in good working conditions at all times.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Contributes to a positive work environment and to a dynamic, team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with all members of the interprofessional health care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and date in a comprehensive manner.

• Works well with others to make contributions to the work effort as a whole and participates in problem resolution. Communication to promote both work efforts and problem resolution is clear, and professional.

• Conducts self in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity, equity and inclusion principles. Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs anesthesia support activities in all monitoring and anesthesia locations including but not limited to operating rooms, catheterization laboratories, intensive care units, and other patient care areas where anesthesia is performed.

• Performs complete operating/procedure room patient monitoring and anesthesia equipment set up.

• Sets up, calibrates as necessary, and checks the performance of all monitoring and anesthesia equipment before connecting to the patient.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Cleans and disinfects equipment and work areas between patients, following infection control standards and department procedures.

• Organizes the work flow, problem-solves and manages ongoing priorities, with minimal supervision, seeking guidance when needed.

• Reports ¿near misses¿ and inputs error promptly into TAPS to improve processes and identify trends. Contributes to identification of corrective actions and improvement activities.

• Contributes to meeting department and hospital targets for quality and safety.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures that anesthetizing areas and anesthesia services work stations are put back together, organized properly, and ready for use as soon as possible after each case, including but not limited to, keeping monitor cables stored neatly, ensuring that anesthesia gases are turned off, unused supplies are restocked properly, and equipment are put back in designated places.

• Utilizes resources with cost effectiveness and value creation in mind. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively, minimizing incidental overtime, and prioritize daily tasks, assisting coworkers as needed.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Participates in committees and task forces as assigned and action items are appropriately performed. Follows up on action items as necessary to ensure completion of assignments.

• Seeks opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development as a Technician/Technologist. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

WORK EXPERIENCE

• One year of hospital experience if not certified; no experience if certified through the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists & Technicians (ASATT)

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA) OR

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• ASATT - Certified Anesthesia Tech

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Possesses basic computer knowledge; operates multiple computer systems to include, Hospital/Anesthesia systems and Microsoft Office products to maintain patient documents

• Progression towards organizational and problem-solving skills as evidenced by capacity to prioritize multiple tasks and role components and actively participating in problem-solving with minimal supervision

• Progression towards demonstrating time management skills

• Ability to progress towards independence and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team and patients and their families

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional No
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Since its founding in 1919, Houston Methodist Hospital has earned worldwide recognition. Houston Methodist Hospital is affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the nation's leading centers for medical education and research.  In 2020, U.S. News & World Report named Houston Methodist Hospital to its top ranked Honor Roll for the fourth time and second consecutive year. 2020 also marked the ninth year in a row Houston Methodist Hospital has been named the No. 1 hospital in Texas. Houston Methodist Hospital directs millions of research dollars into patient care and offers the latest innovations in medical, surgical and diagnostic techniques. With 952 operating beds, 85 operating rooms and over 8,000 employees, Houston Methodist offers complete care for patients from around the world.

 

The same high-quality care for which Houston Methodist is known is available at several Emergency Care Centers in Houston and the surrounding areas.  These Emergency Care Centers house exam rooms, full digital radiography suite, low radiation dose 16-slice CT scan, ultrasound and a full on-site stat chemistry lab.