b. Personnel Assigned. The personnel assigned to the Chief of Anesthesiology
will depend upon whether or not an installation has an anesthesiology-training program.
If it has such a program, the personnel assigned will be resident medical officers in
anesthesiology, MC Officer interns who rotate through the department, AN anesthetists,
and AN students of anesthesiology.
(1) In those Army-type hospitals not conducting training in anesthesiology,
the anesthesiology and operative services may consist of the Chief, Anesthesiology and
Operative services, and one or more AN anesthetists.
(2) An OR specialist may be assigned directly to the anesthesiology
service where he may assist in positioning and transporting patients and assist
the anesthesiologist as directed in handling his equipment. When no specialist is
assigned to the anesthesiology service, the OR specialist serving as circulator
is responsible for assisting in the performance of these and other tasks as
directed by the anesthesiologist or anesthetist. NOTE: An MC Officer who is certified
as a specialist in the administration of anesthetics is an anesthesiologist. Other persons
who administer anesthetics--such as the AN Officer especially trained in
anesthesiology, and the surgeon when he administers a local anesthetic--are
appropriately called anesthetists. However, in actual practice in the surgical suite, the
person who gives the anesthetic is usually referred to as the anesthetist, even though
he may be certified as an anesthesiologist.
2-16. OPERATING ROOM SUPERVISOR
a. Responsibility. The OR Supervisor (see figure 2-1) (an AN Officer)
is responsible for all of the nursing functions performed by the OR personnel.
He makes out the time schedule and the duty assignment roster for the
OR staff nurses, both military and civilian, within the operating suite. He is
accountable to the Chief, Department of Nursing, for the nursing care given by AN
Officers, enlisted OR specialists, and civilians. He makes out the OR schedule
In coordination with the Chief of Surgery and the Chief of Anesthesiology and
operative services. He also formulates policy for nursing service personnel working in
the OR.
b. Assistants. The professional staff nurses function under the direction and
supervision of the OR Supervisor. They perform the functional duties of, and are
assistants to, the OR Supervisor. Since the supervisor may not be in the OR
or suite at all times, the staff nurses represent the supervisor during surgical procedures
and assist in maintaining high standards of patient care.
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