Effective 28 Aug 2003

334.402. Anesthesiologist assistants, may assist in anesthesia care plan for patients, activities authorized and prohibited — identification, assistants and students — faculty members of anesthesia program, requirements. — 1. An anesthesiologist assistant may assist the supervising anesthesiologist in developing and implementing an anesthesia care plan for a patient. In providing assistance to the supervising anesthesiologist, an anesthesiologist assistant shall have the authority to:

(1) Obtain a comprehensive patient history, perform relevant elements of a physical exam and present the history to the supervising anesthesiologist;

(2) Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and obtain and interpret information from the systems and monitors, in consultation with an anesthesiologist;

(3) Assist the supervising anesthesiologist with the implementation of medically accepted monitoring techniques;

(4) Establish basic and advanced airway interventions, including intubation of the trachea and performing ventilatory support;

(5) Administer intermittent vasoactive drugs and start and adjust vasoactive infusions;

(6) Administer anesthetic drugs, adjuvant drugs, and accessory drugs;

(7) Assist the supervising anesthesiologist with the performance of epidural anesthetic procedures, spinal anesthetic procedures, and other regional anesthetic techniques;

(8) Administer blood, blood products, and supportive fluids;

(9) Provide assistance to a cardiopulmonary resuscitation team in response to a life-threatening situation;

(10) Participate in administrative, research, and clinical teaching activities as authorized by the supervising anesthesiologist; or

(11) Perform such other tasks not prohibited by law under the supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist that an anesthesiologist assistant has been trained and is proficient to perform.

2. An anesthesiologist shall at all times accept and be responsible for the oversight of the health care services rendered by the anesthesiologist assistant.

3. Anesthesiologist assistants are prohibited from the following:

(1) An anesthesiologist assistant shall not prescribe any medications or controlled substances;

(2) An anesthesiologist assistant shall not administer any drugs, medicines, devices, or therapies the supervising anesthesiologist is not qualified or authorized to prescribe; and

(3) An anesthesiologist assistant shall not practice or attempt to practice without the supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist or in any location where the supervising anesthesiologist is not immediately available for consultation, assistance, and intervention.

4. An anesthesiologist assistant shall be clearly identified as an anesthesiologist assistant and shall not use or permit to be used in the anesthesiologist assistant's behalf the terms "doctor", "Dr.", or "doc" or in any way be identified as a physician or surgeon. An anesthesiologist assistant shall not refer to a certificate of registration or authority, permit, or license as "board-certified" or use any other terminology that may imply that the anesthesiologist assistant is a physician or surgeon.

5. A student in any anesthesiologist assistant training program shall be identified as a student anesthesiologist assistant or an anesthesiologist assistant student. Under no circumstances shall such a student use or permit to be used on the student's behalf, the terms "intern", "resident", or "fellow" or be identified in any way as a physician or surgeon.

6. The anesthesiologist members of the faculty of an anesthesiologist assistant program established in this state shall be comprised of board-certified or board-eligible anesthesiologists. No faculty member of any anesthesiologist assistants program shall concurrently supervise more than two anesthesiologist assistant students who are delivering anesthesia. Certified registered nurse anesthetists will be excluded from clinical education of anesthesiologist assistants.

­­--------

(L. 2003 H.B. 390)