Anesthesiologist: The silent force behind the scene

Abstract

The Anesthesiologist provides continuous medical care before, during, and after operation to permit the surgeons to perform surgeries; sometimes quite challenging that could otherwise cause substantial threats to the patient's survival. Anesthesiologists, because of their combination of skills are uniquely qualified to care for dying patients suffering from end diseases like cancer. These skills include knowledge of analgesic and sedative pharmacology for the management of pain, awareness of perceptual alterations along with well-known skills in drug titration and experience with critically ill and highly anxious, often agitated patients under stressful circumstances. Anesthesiologists are physicians who provide medical care to patients in a wide variety of situations. This includes preoperative evaluation, consultation with the surgical team, creation of a plan for the anesthesia (which is different in each patient), airway management, intraoperative life support, pain control, intraoperative stabilization of all the vitals, postoperative pain management. Outside the operating room, Anesthesiologist's spectrum of action includes with general emergencies, trauma, intensive care units, acute and chronic pain management. In spite of providing these highly skilled services, Anesthesiologists are facing a lot of stress these days which predisposes them to burnout, fatigue, substance abuse, and suicide. The practice of anesthesia in Indian scenario is different as compared to the western countries. In India, the Anesthesiologists are dependent on surgeons for their work. The degree of stress faced is due to a number of factors like the type and quality of work, his/her relationship with surgeons and the support he/she receives from colleagues and family.

Keywords: Anesthesiologist; critical care unit; pain clinic; stress.