| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Allied Health |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | OT Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | Fresher with OT internship, or up to 2 years in operation theatres |
Anaesthesia Technician job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Anaesthesia Technician
Department: Allied Health
Reports to: OT Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An Anaesthesia Technician prepares and maintains everything the anaesthetist needs in the operation theatre: the anaesthesia workstation, monitors, airway equipment, infusion pumps and emergency drugs. They check machines before the first case, assist during induction, intubation and extubation, and clean and restock after each case. In a crisis such as a difficult airway, a technician with the right equipment already at hand saves critical minutes.
Key responsibilities
- Check each anaesthesia workstation before the first case: gas supply, leak test, vaporizers, circuits, suction and the machine self-test.
- Prepare airway equipment for every case, including laryngoscopes, endotracheal tubes, LMAs, stylets and the difficult airway trolley.
- Set up patient monitoring for ECG, SpO2, NIBP, EtCO2 and invasive pressures, and zero the transducers.
- Assist the anaesthetist during induction, intubation, regional blocks and extubation, passing equipment in the right order.
- Prepare syringe and infusion pumps and label lines as the anaesthetist instructs.
- Clean and disinfect reusable equipment after each case, send it to CSSD, and replace single-use items.
- Maintain anaesthesia consumables and emergency drugs on the trolley, recording expiry checks every week.
- Check oxygen, nitrous oxide and medical air pipeline pressures and backup cylinders, and report low supply at once.
- Support emergency airway management and resuscitation in the OT, recovery room, ICU and emergency when called.
- Log equipment faults and follow up repairs with the biomedical team until the machine is back in use.
Requirements
- Diploma or BSc in Anaesthesia Technology, or BSc in Anaesthesia and Operation Theatre Technology
- BLS certification; ACLS is an advantage
- Fresher with OT internship, or up to 2 years in operation theatres
KRAs and KPIs for a Anaesthesia Technician
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Machine readiness | Pre-use checklist completed for every workstation before the first case, every day |
| Case turnover | Anaesthesia setup ready within 10 minutes between cases |
| Airway preparedness | Difficult airway trolley checked daily, with zero missing items at audit |
| Stock and drugs | No case delayed for missing consumables or expired drugs on the trolley |
| Equipment reprocessing | Reusable equipment sent to CSSD after every case, with zero reprocessing lapses |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Anaesthesia workstation, Multipara patient monitors, Video laryngoscope, Syringe and infusion pumps, Defibrillator, Suction apparatus.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Anaesthesia Technician, OT Manager
Interview questions for a Anaesthesia Technician
- What checks do you do on an anaesthesia machine before the first case?
- What would you keep ready on a difficult airway trolley?
- During a case the EtCO2 trace suddenly disappears. What do you check first?
- How do you prepare for a spinal anaesthesia case?
- The oxygen pipeline pressure alarm sounds mid-surgery. What do you do?
- How do you clean a laryngoscope blade after use?
Managing a Anaesthesia Technician in ZeniaHR
Hire and manage your allied health team in one place
Post the role, onboard the new hire, and track attendance, leave and KRAs in ZeniaHR. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What does an anaesthesia technician do?
An anaesthesia technician prepares and checks the anaesthesia machine, monitors, airway equipment and pumps before surgery, assists the anaesthetist during induction, intubation and extubation, and cleans and restocks equipment after each case. They also respond to airway emergencies and resuscitation calls.
What is the qualification for an anaesthesia technician in India?
The usual qualification is a diploma or BSc in Anaesthesia Technology, or a BSc in Anaesthesia and Operation Theatre Technology, which includes hospital internship. BLS certification is expected, and ACLS training helps for work in cardiac and emergency theatres.
What is the difference between an anaesthesia technician and an OT technician?
An anaesthesia technician works with the anaesthetist on machines, airway equipment, monitoring and drugs. An OT technician prepares the operating room, surgical instruments, OT table and lights and supports the surgeon's side of the case. Smaller hospitals sometimes combine both duties in one post.