Can you describe what you do day-to-day?
My day starts by checking the operation allocation board to see if there are any changes from the previous day, then I collect an operation list with the details of each patient and check the blood fridge to see if there are blood units available for the patients.
I then clean the working surfaces and check that all the equipment works. Once all preparations are complete, we have a team brief with all the staff involved in a patient’s case to discuss the details and the equipment needed.
We then send for the patient from the wards and once s/he arrives in the anaesthetic room, we check all the details. If everything is correct, we then administer the anaesthetic induction. Once that is complete, we move the patient into the operating theatre to start the procedure.
What do you like most about your job?
What I enjoy most about my job is that every day is different – I get to interact with different people, not just from my department, but also from other departments. My job gives me the satisfaction to be able to do something that helps improve someone’s life, in this case the patients’ whose care I am involved with.
Which part of your job is most challenging?
The most challenging part of my job is being able to disconnect emotionally, at the end of the day when I go home, from some of the difficult cases and decisions that are made.
What is the best/funniest thing a patient has ever said to you?
I was once waiting for a patient and thought it was a bit strange to see him on the bed at the end of the corridor telling the porter and the nurse some jokes. He was really upbeat and once he arrived in the anaesthetic room I introduced myself and explained my role. He then said that he got all glammed up to meet some beautiful nurses and instead he got me, a man with a beard!
Why did you decide to work in healthcare?
I never liked hospitals when I was younger, but when I came to England my son was born after a difficult delivery and I saw how hard everyone involved with the delivery was working and how calm they all remained. I thought they were amazing and worked really well as a team. That made me want to do something in the area of healthcare.