The job description for anaesthetic technician jobs varies according to the employer and jurisdiction of practice but in general the following duties are usual:

Prior to anaesthesia

Anaesthetic technicians prepare equipment needed for the patient to safely undergo anaesthesia. This involves:

• checking and setting up the anaesthetic machine
• preparing intravenous drugs
• preparing intravenous therapy administration equipment
• preparing a range of devices to maintain the patient's airway (e.g. laryngeal masks, endotracheal tube)
• communicating with the patient when they arrive into the operating theatre
• establish peripheral intravenous access.
• applying anaesthetic monitoring to help assess the patients' condition whilst under anaesthesia. This may include electrocardiography (ECG), blood pressure and oxygen saturation devices. The monitoring of other parameters such as anaesthesia depth monitors (EEG, bispectral index etc.) may also be necessary.

During anaesthesia

The anaesthetic technician's role includes assisting with:

• inducing and maintaining adequate anaesthesia.
• establishing and securing an airway.
• making sure that patients are positioned in such a way NOT to cause discomfort or injury during their procedure.
• monitoring and maintaining patients' vital signs and anaesthesia depth.
• temperature monitoring and regulation.
• collection and analysis of patient (blood) samples.
• acquiring and administering transfusion fluids and equipment.

After anaesthesia

Anaesthetic technicians assist the anaesthetist with:

• waking the patient.
• removing airway devices.
• transferring patients to post-operative care units

Other activities

Regional variations exist, but anaesthetic technicians may also be involved with:

• Airway establishment & management.
• Intra-operative intra-aortic balloon pump setup, operating and monitoring.
• Elective & Emergency Blood Management.
• Swan-Ganz pulmonary artery catheter insertion and monitoring.
• Intra-operative blood salvage setup, operating and monitoring.
• Drawing of blood Samples.
• Arterial blood gas analysis, including maintenance of analysers.
• Arterial line insertion and monitoring.
• Peripheral IV line insertion.
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Central IV lines.
• TEG Sampling.
• Point of Care Analysis.

Candidates for anaesthetic technician jobs must have an undergraduate degree or diploma in anaesthesia technology from a recognised university or college. Additional postgraduate qualifications are also desirable and most professional regulatory authorities and employers will expect a minimum amount of postgraduate experience, usually 2 years.

This varies by country and jurisdiction. Some countries require registration and an active practice licence with a regulatory authority whilst in other countries the profession is unregulated. In New Zealand, anaesthetic technicians must register with the Medical Sciences Council but in Australia and Malta there is no equivalent requirement.