Assisting for spinal or epidural anesthesia

1.  Make sure the regional block cart is fully stocked each morning.
2. Check the schedule each morning and note if there is a scheduled regional case in one of your rooms.
3. Bring necessary spinal or epidural tray and appropriately sized sterile gloves to the OR prior to the patient being brought to the room and place on Mayo stand.
4. Attach infusion pump to IV pole.
5. Accompany the anesthesia provider to the OR when the patient is brought into the room.
6. Assist with the placement of monitors as required by the anesthesia provider.  Ask if you are unsure which monitors to place. Always pulse oximeter.
7. Assist the anesthesia provider with the drawing up of medications if help is needed (open / hold vials)
8. Assist with the positioning of the patient.  This may be lateral or sitting with the knees drawn up and the lower back rounded like a “mad cat” or “boiled shrimp.”
9. Stand in front of the patient and support them during placement of the spinal or epidural.
10. After the induction of anesthesia, assist the patient to the required position for the procedure (this will most often be supine but sometimes lateral), and help with the placement of the remaining monitors, wrist slits and warming blanket.
11. Ask what supplemental oxygen will be used (Nasal vs. mask)
12. Remove any unused equipment.
13. Discard tray with sharps