1 Lexi Northrup Writing 1010 I-Search December 13, 2013 What Is a Day In The Li e o an !

nesthesio"ogist# When $eci$ing on a topic, I %ante$ to ocus on my uture career an$ %hat it meant to be that speci ic person& I 'ne% that I %ante$ to go into the me$ica" ie"$ but $i$ not %ant to cut anyone open or become a nurse, so I $eci$e$ to become an anesthesio"ogist& I chose a career that I ha(e a"%ays $reame$ o $oing& )(er since ninth gra$e I ha(e $e(e"ope$ a passion to become an anesthesio"ogist& I irst $e(e"ope$ this interest %hen I recei(e$ the ne%s that I ha$ to get my ga""b"a$$er out an$ %hen I %as $iagnose$ %ith *rohn+s $isease& The process to igure out both o my $iagnosis %as "ong an$ pain u" but I oun$ e(ery proce$ure, "ab test, an$ $iagnosis intriguing an$ %ante$ to un$erstan$ the meaning behin$ each proce$ure& ,rom there I "oo'e$ arther into a career in me$icine an$ $eci$e$ on becoming an anesthesio"ogist& -y .uestion is this/ 0What is a $ay in the "i e o an anesthesio"ogist#1 To un$erstan$ this .uestion, I p"an to inter(ie% an anesthesio"ogist an$ "earn %hat the 2ob o an anesthesio"ogist means& I %i"" %atch $i erent (i$eos, "oo' at (arious in ormationa" boo's, internet sources, an$ use my o%n persona" interactions %ith an anesthesio"ogist an$ anesthesia& To represent my research I p"an to ta'e pictures, ana"y3e artic"es, $isp"ay (i$eos, an$ compi"e a"" o my research an$ $ata into my paper an$ presentation& To start my research, I $eci$e$ to "oo' or internet sources that cou"$ gi(e me a genera" i$ea o %hat anesthesia is an$ ho% that re"ates to an anesthesio"ogist& I came across an artic"e on

2 Wi'ipe$ia ca""e$ Anesthesia that ga(e me insight to %hat the physician $oes, %hat e.uipment they use, an$ the monitoring that is nee$e$ $uring a surgery& In the artic"e, I %as gi(en a $e inition o a 4&S& anesthesio"ogist& !n anesthesio"ogist is a me$ica" $octor %ho has comp"ete$ specia"i3e$ e$ucation an$ training in anesthesio"ogy& To recei(e this specia"i3e$ training, I %ou"$ ha(e to comp"ete our years o un$ergra$uate %or', our years o me$ica" schoo", an$ our years o resi$ency& Which comes to a tota" o 12 years o schoo"ing to become an anesthesio"ogist, but it %i"" a"" be %orth the time an$ e ort in the "ong run i I am ab"e to ha(e my $ream 2ob& When I irst thought o becoming an anesthesio"ogist, I thought that they on"y ha$ one 2ob, to put peop"e un$er anesthesia or surgery& I then rea"i3e$ %hen rea$ing the artic"e, there are three other ro"es that anesthesio"ogists p"ay a-apart in& They unction as perioperati(e physicians, ensuring the patient %on+t ee" pain $uring the surgery, an$ 'eeping the patient ca"m in preoperation, $uring the operation, an$ post-operation& When rea$ing this artic"e, I %as a"so ab"e to "earn about the $i erent e.uipment use$ in the operating rooms by anesthesio"ogists& They use me$ica" gases, anesthetic agents an$ (apors, as %e"" as breathing circuits such as, (apori3ers, (enti"ators, an$ pressure gages& !n anesthetic agent or (apor is a gas that is usua""y combine$ %ith a pain'i""er to re$uce or e"iminate the pain $uring a surgery or in a "oca" region& There are t%o speci ic types o anesthesia, a genera" anesthesia an$ a "oca" anesthesia& The genera" anesthesia is use$ or surgeries, an$ the "oca" anesthesia is use$ or regiona" or b"oc' anesthesia& There are (arious gases use$ or speci ic a""ergies an$ to he"p a patient %a'e up easier an$ sooner than expecte$& The breathing circuit is a machine that carries the anesthetic an$ oxygen to the patient an$ remo(es the expire$ gas rom

3 the bo$y& ,or each an$ e(ery one o the machines, the anesthesio"ogists nee$ to ha(e comprehensi(e an$ intricate 'no%"e$ge about each one& The anesthesio"ogist a"so nee$s to 'no% the sa ety eatures, ha3ar$s, an$ "imitations to ma'e sure that the machines can %or' sa e"y or the patients an$ on a $ay to $ay basis in the operating room& During a surgery, the anesthesio"ogist is re.uire$ to monitor the basic (ita"s, such as b"oo$ pressure, heart rate, oxygen "e(e"s, an$ the e"ectrocar$iogram 5)678 o each patient, but there are a$$itiona" (ita"s that are monitore$ or an extent o a surgery& ,or minor surgeries, the heart rate, oxygen, carbon $ioxi$e an$ the inta'e o anesthesia is monitore$& ,or more in(asi(e surgeries, the temperature, urine output, pu"monary artery pressure, car$iac output, an$ neuro"ogica" unction are a"" monitore$, a"ong %ith the basic (ita"s, $uring the surgery& This artic"e %as use u" or un$erstan$ing a basic un$erstan$ing o %hat it means to be an anesthesio"ogist an$ %hat they are re.uire$ to $o $uring surgery an$ out o surgery& I %as a"so ab"e to "earn ho% anesthesia has $e(e"ope$ rom past centuries to the metho$s use$ to$ay in a$ministering the anesthetic& !s a secon$ source I researche$ possib"e 9ouTube (i$eos on a $ay in the "i e o an anesthesio"ogist& I came across many (i$eos %ith a"" same context an$ i$eas in them but one (i$eo rea""y stoo$ out, A Day in the Life of an Anesthesiologist& This (i$eo o""o%e$ Dr& -att Nor'unas, an atten$ing at -aimoni$es -e$ica" *enter& !s an atten$ing the $octor is re.uire$ to spen$ his $ay teaching (arious resi$ents on his ser(ice or the $ay, but a"so 'eeping the patient sa e& To begin his $ay, Dr& Nor'unas starts o on the surgica" "oor %ith a patient ha(ing an'"e surgery to remo(e har$%are rom a bro'en bone, an$ then mo(es onto a patient that on"y nee$s

4 to ha(e regiona" anesthesia& To ha(e regiona" anesthesia the patient on"y nee$s to be numbe$ in speci ic region o the bo$y& To ensure the patients trust in the anesthesio"ogist a psycho"ogica" actor comes into p"ay& In a i(e minute perio$ the anesthesio"ogist is re.uire$ to ca"m a patient rom ha(ing the highest "e(e" o anxiety, to ee"ing com ortab"e about the operation or proce$ure& This ca""s or a genuine interaction %ith the patient, an$ insti""ing as much trust in the time a""otte$, so the anesthesio"ogist can ta'e the patient+s "i e into their han$s or the next coup"e o hours& To $o this, the anesthesio"ogist %i"" meet %ith the patient be ore surgery to as' basic .uestions regar$ing their past experiences %ith anesthesia& During the meeting, the anesthesio"ogist %i"" a"so in orm the patient o the proce$ure an$ %i"" then go o(er the anesthesia p"an re.uire$ by the surgeon& This part o the (i$eo %as (ery intriguing to me because I ha$ no i$ea that the anesthesio"ogist %as on"y gi(en a i(e minute time perio$ to earn a patients trust& Throughout the (i$eo I "earne$ the $ai"y proce$ures o an anesthesio"ogist an$ the interaction bet%een patients an$ (arious surgeons& Near the en$ o the (i$eo Dr& Nor'unas says, 0!t the en$ o a gi(en $ay I am genera""y rea$y to go home, but %hen I %a'e up in the morning I %ant to come to %or'&1 :earing those %or$s come rom an anesthesio"ogist inspires me to %or' through the 12 years o me$ica" schoo" an$ resi$ency an$ it ga(e me a "ight at the en$ o the "ong roa$ ahea$& In the en$ a"" the schoo"ing an$ resi$ency %i"" be %orth it i I am ab"e to ha(e my $ream 2ob& ,or my next source, I $eci$e$ to ocus on my o%n persona" experience %ith an anesthesio"ogist an$ anesthesia& The irst time I ha$ surgery %as in ;th gra$e, %hen I ha$ to ha(e my tonsi"s remo(e$& I remember the anesthesio"ogist coming into the room an$ gi(ing me a

5 0"aughing gas1 to he"p ca"m my ner(es be ore procee$ing into the operating room& The interaction bet%een the anesthesio"ogist an$ I %as (ery ca"ming an$ re"axing, probab"y because I %as being $rugge$, but I e"t a sense o security %ith him an$ the other $octors& When %a'ing up rom my surgery, I ha$ an a""ergic reaction to the anesthetic agent that I ha$ been gi(en $uring surgery& I imme$iate"y became sic' to my stomach an$ nauseate$& Throughout the rest o the $ay I continue$ to be i"" an$ thre% up e(erything in my stomach unti" I starte$ thro%ing up my o%n sa"i(a& The next t%o times I %ent in or surgery, $ue to my ga""b"a$$er an$ other nee$s, I %as gi(en a speci ic type o gas $uring surgery, so in post-operation I %ou"$ not ha(e the same type o reaction I $i$ %ith my irst surgery& When "etting the anesthesio"ogist 'no% that I nee$e$ a gas that %ou"$ not ma'e me nauseate$, they %ere (ery responsi(e to my nee$s an$ ma$e sure that I %ou"$ ee" com ortab"e $uring the surgery an$ out o surgery& :a(ing that positi(e response to my nee$s %as (ery reassuring or me to 'no% that I %ou"$ be sa e throughout my surgery& These experiences an$ interactions %ith an anesthesio"ogist, has gi(en me a ne% %ay in approaching the con(ersation %ith a patient, because I ha(e been on that other si$e o the situation& I 'no% ho% it ee"s to ha(e a high "e(e" o anxiety an$ being ner(ous about being cut open on a co"$ meta" tab"e, un$er big, bright, "ights an$ ha(ing no contro" o(er %hat is going to happen& 6no%ing that anxiety an$ "earning rom my o%n persona" experiences I %i"" e icient"y be ab"e ca"m the patient, earn their trust, an$ ma'e them ee" secure in a i(e-minute perio$& !s my ina" source I %ante$ to inter(ie% an anesthesio"ogist, but $ue to "ega" comp"ications I %as unab"e to inter(ie% one, so I "oo'e$ into other opportunities that I cou"$

6 pursue& ! ter ta"'ing %ith my $a$, I $eci$e$ to inter(ie% him& -y $a$ is an operation room surgica" nurse at The <rthope$ic Specia"ty :ospita" 5T<S:8& :e is more than .ua"i ie$ to ans%er my .uestions about an anesthesio"ogist because he spen$s t%e"(e hours a $ay, our $ays a %ee' %ith anesthesio"ogists an$ has been $oing so or 2= years& -y irst .uestion or him %as/ 0:o% $oes the anesthesio"ogist prepare or a surgery#1 In the morning, the anesthesio"ogist %i"" prepare or a"" o the upcoming surgeries throughout the $ay& ,irst, they ha(e to $rop their me$ications to p"ace the patient un$er anesthesia, meaning they put me$ications rom the bott"e into syringes& Next, they %i"" chec' the anesthesia gas machine to ma'e sure it %or's proper"y, an$ prepare their too"s or intubation 5%hen a tube is p"ace$ in the air%ay so a (enti"ator can assist breathing8& >e ore meeting %ith the patient, the anesthesio"ogist %i"" re(ie% their chart an$ "oo' at the me$ica" history to ma'e sure they a$2ust their $osages accor$ing to the patient+s nee$s& They %i"" "oo' or things such as high b"oo$ pressure, s"eep apnea, chronic obstructi(e pu"monary $isease, an$ any $isease that %ou"$ a ect ho% a patient processes the anesthesia an$ me$ication& ! ter meeting the patient an$ going o(er the basic .uestions, the proce$ure, an$ $etermining %hat si3e o tube is nee$e$ or intibation the anesthesio"ogist %i"" bring bac' to operating room an$ attach the heart monitor, b"oo$ pressure monitor an$ oxygen "e(e" monitor to the patient& The anesthesio"ogist %i"" then put the patient as"eep %ith $iprophan an$ turn on the anesthesia gas machine to 'eep them as"eep $uring the "ength o the surgery& ! ter p"acing the patient un$er anesthesia, the anesthesio"ogist %i"" continue %ith intubating the patient an$ connecting them to the (enti"ator& Intubating a patient is necessary because it he"ps sen$ (enti"ation to circu"ate the expire$ gas rom the bo$y an$ oxygen in the "ungs& Throughout the surgery the anesthesio"ogist %i"" monitor the (ita"s to ma'e sure e(erything goes smooth"y& !t

7 the en$ o a surgery, the anesthesio"ogist %i"" then %a'e the patient up by turning o a"" the gas machines an$ extubating 5$isconnecting the (enti"ator an$ remo(ing the intubate$ tube8 the patient& When e(ery machine is $isconnecte$ an$ a"" stitches are comp"ete$, the anesthesio"ogist %i"" ta'e them to reco(ery, an$ repeat the steps o(er again or each patient& !s my secon$ an$ "ast .uestion I as'e$/ 0What $o you thin' is the most interesting part o an anesthesio"ogist+s 2ob#1 0,or me, the most interesting thing about an anesthesio"ogist is their 'no%"e$ge on the (arious types o me$ications an$ ho% they can be combine$ an$ integrate$ to match the physica" an$ sensation nee$s o a patient& ,or examp"e, the anesthesio"ogists ha(e me$ications to contro" b"oo$ pressure, ca""e$ (aso $i"ation an$ constriction& The patients+ "oss o sensation an$ being ab"e to 'eep them a"i(e %ith me$ication is a"" (ery ascinating&1 The %or$s that I 2ust .uote$ rom my $a$ are exact"y %hy I %ant to be an anesthesio"ogist& !t the beginning o my paper, I as'e$ the .uestion/ What is a $ay in the "i e o an anesthesio"ogist# Through internet sources, (i$eos, persona" experiences, an$ an inter(ie% I %as ab"e to c"ear"y ans%er my .uestion an$ a"so become more passionate about becoming an anesthesio"ogist& ! $ay in "i e o an anesthesio"ogist inc"u$es interaction %ith patients, using extensi(e 'no%"e$ge in me$ication, ho"$ing a patients "i e in their han$s, an$ most important"y 'eep a patient sa e throughout a surgery by monitoring the (ita"s an$ other pressures& Whi"e ans%ering my .uestion, I "earne$ a$$itiona" in ormation regar$ing anesthesia, schoo"ing, an$ the actua" proce$ure it ta'es to set up or a surgery& <ne o the most interesting things I "earne$ %as about the $i erent machines an$ $e(ices use$ $uring a surgery to monitor breathing rates, pressure in speci ic arteries, an$ the neuro"ogica" unction o the patient&

8 ?esearching this topic has been (ery eye opening an$ intriguing to "earn about& I ha(e been ab"e to $isco(er more in ormation on this topic that has ma$e me e(en more inspire$ an$ passionate about becoming an anesthesio"ogist& It may be 12 years o schoo"ing, but I %i"" get to spen$ a "i etime $oing something I "o(e an$ am passionate about&

9 Wor's *ite$ 1& 0!nesthesia&1 December 2013& Wi'ipe$ia& 20 No(& 2013 2. http/@@%%%&youtube&com@%atch#(A1%um3gN"y*! 3& -y o%n persona" experiences %ith anesthesio"ogists an$ anesthesia B& Northrup, ?obert& Inter(ie%& B Dec& 2013