The American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT) was established in 1989 to provide standards for scope of practice and education for a specialty that, at that time, was made up of individuals receiving only on-the-job training and job responsibilities that were determined by the hospital systems and departments for which they worked. There was extreme variability in their practice based on the needs of the facilities. Since its inception, the ASATT has established a coordinated governing body, a scope of practice and curriculum for technologists, moved away from on-the-job training to a defined education process, and is working on moving away from hospital- and department-defined responsibilities to those defined by state boards and national accrediting bodies.
Anesthesia technologists and technicians are becoming increasingly more valuable members to the anesthesia care team as anesthesia services have become much more diverse and the technology has advanced. Furthermore, anesthesia care has...
