Informed choices - Anaesthetic Technology and Practice

In this industry career pathway, the following areas need to be considered:

Communication skills

• Communicate effectively with a range of people including technicians, nurses’, patients, relatives, doctors, and anaesthetists
• Use appropriate language and respect when working with people from different cultures
• Listen and follow instructions
• Read and understand written information according to the situation
• Write and record comprehensive patient information and documentation 
• Understand and respond to verbal and non-verbal communication
• Use technology to communicate (e.g. computers, emails, electronic documents).

Technical and motor skills

• Checking, setting up and maintaining anaesthetic machinery and equipment
• Operate and manage electronic and mechanical testing devices
• Assist anaesthetist to insert breathing tubes, intravenous devices, and anaesthesia
• Able to cope with physical demands of the job (e.g. pushing, pulling, grasping, manipulating)
• Monitor patients and vital signs before, during and after procedures.

Cognitive skills

• Organise, collate, analyse and understand information
• Problem solving skills
• Situational awareness, understanding and perception
• Able to interpret information and critically think
• Attention to detail and concentration skills
• Sufficient vision and hearing to safely perform the job role
• Apply basic mathematics (e.g. addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, fractions and decimals)
• Observe and recognise changes in behaviour, safety, deterioration in physical or mental health.

Behavioural and social skills

• Work under pressure and during stressful situations
• Control emotions and reactions, withholding personal opinions
• Adapt to change, managing the unexpected and being flexible
• Ability to reflect, take responsibility for own actions and be self-aware
• Work in small spaces in close proximity to others
• Treat all genders with respect and dignity, working and interacting collaboratively
• Display professional behaviours e.g., punctuality, polite, confidentiality, maintaining personal and professional boundaries, accountability and responsibility
• Comply with legislative requirements in the workplace including work health and safety. 

The Language, Literacy and Numeracy requirements are core skills for all job roles at all levels.

The Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) indicates that the five core skill areas are reading, writing, numeracy, oral communication and learning which we apply in our personal and community; workplace and employment; and education and training. 

Some of the core language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills for entry into this Industry are:
Learning - legal and ethical guidelines of work, understand human needs, individual differences, service standards, safety policies and procedures.

Reading - reading and understanding client charts, treatment plans, instructions, procedures, manuals, standards, guidelines and work instructions, industry specific terminology and symbols, workplace safety signs. 

Writing - complete forms, charts, progress notes, WHS reports, writing and taking messages

Oral communication – communicating with clients, their family and team members. Communicating with clients who have impaired communication. Effective questioning, application of telephone skills and transferring information to team members. 

Numeracy - measure fluids, read weights and measurements, read, interpret and document in charts, calculate timeframes, input data, use decimals, fractions, percentages, and formulae, compare, contrast and evaluate

Problem solving – identify and respond to client’s needs, analyse and construct meaning, assess and respond to risk. 

Technology - use software to update observation notes and record health information, basic computer skills

Prior to enrolment in this course you will need to undertake a pre-entry assessment, to ensure you have an appropriate numeracy and literacy background.
A Basic Key Skills Builder and English Testing Support Skill Set is available if you think you need help preparing for the BKSB literacy and numeracy assessment.

Below are some of the important individual personal skills students need to demonstrate during training:

Communication

• The ability to develop and maintain relationships, trust and confidence.
• The ability to communicate with a range of people from different backgrounds.

Teamwork

• The ability to work with other people for a common outcome. 
• Respect for other people and their role within the work team. 
• The ability to accept direction and feedback.

Problem solving

• The ability to identify potential problems and respond appropriately. 
• The ability to ask questions and seek clarification when necessary.

Initiative and enterprise

• Motivation and interest.
• The ability to seek assistance when necessary. 
• Foresight / the ability to see what needs to be done.

Planning and organising

• Appropriate time management skills.
• The ability to prioritise, plan and organise own workload.

Self-management

• Seek feedback and reflect on your own performance 
• Accept responsibility for own actions.

Learning

• Ability to identify own strengths and weaknesses and seek assistance where necessary. 
• The ability and motivation to build on past knowledge and experience.
• The ability to take on new information and tasks.

Technology

• The ability to learn and adapt to new technology.
• The ability to access information and use digital media for study and work.

All workers must understand their workplace health and safety obligations and safety requirements under the:

• WA Work Health and Safety Act 2020, which imposes obligations on people at workplaces to ensure workplace health and safety.
• WA Work Health and Safety Regulations 2022 that describes what must be done to prevent or control certain hazards which cause injury, illness or death.
• Codes of Practice, which are designed to give practical advice about ways to achieve standards and manage exposure to risks common to industry.

All workers must be able to participate in Risk Assessments, Incident Reports and Hazard Identification

Students are required to attend allocated clinical placements in accordance with the hosting organisations policies, procedures, workplace requirements and rostering which may include weekends, evenings, public holidays seven (7) days a week including shift work.

Complete satisfactory working with children check, National Police Clearance and Department of Health criminal check prior to placement.

Students are required to have access to a computer and internet*
*NMTAFE students can access computers and WiFi via its libraries 

The majority of students notes, resources, activities and assessments are accessed via Blackboard.