Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Duties of the on call anaesthetistsfor elective cases, but you should remember that the cases arebooked usually when irreversible neurological damage is imminent,making a prompt response vital.Calls for urgent cardiac bypass procedures will go in the firstinstance, to the cardiothoracic consultant on call, who may call you toask for assistance before or during the case. If a primary bypassprocedure is referred to you, call the consultant.You are responsible for emergency chest re-openings on thecardiothoracic ICU and those that are taken back to theatre. If reopeningon the ICU, treat it as a full anaesthetic and keep a newrecord sheet. Try to have an ODP called to assist and if this is notpossible (there may not be a resident ODP available for the ICU) askthe nurse in charge to have an ICU nurse allocated as your assistant.Organising anaesthesia servicesYou may be called at any time with a variety of organisational orclinical problems whether related to urgent or routine work. It is yourresponsibility to match resources to demand in the most appropriateway. Liaison with the Anaesthesia Office during the day is helpful.Important decisions should be reported to or referred to theadministrative staff as appropriate.Out of hours, liaison with the relevant consultant on call and thesenior theatre nurse (‘floor control’) is essential if you are not clear asto the appropriate course of action. You may feel it necessary to opena second emergency theatre, where the urgency of the clinicalsituation so demands and you may do this after consulting theconsultant and senior theatre nurse.Calls to the paediatric wardYou may be called to see a paediatric patient for resuscitation orstabilisation. There is no paediatric ICU in Coventry and so patientsneeding critical care will be taken to Birmingham, Leicester or furtherafield. Usually a retrieval team will collect the child but sometimesyou will have to transfer them.Anaesthetists Handbook January 2010 33