Skyline College will launch the first Anesthesia Technology degree and certificate program beginning fall 2018. There are currently ten programs across the United States. This will be the first program to offer a degree in this health care specialty in Northern California. Completion of this program will prepare students for the national certification exam and allow a professional entry point to the field of Anesthesia.
Anesthesia Technologists are an integral member of the anesthesia care team and work collaboratively with the anesthesia care provider. They work in various clinical areas to include operating rooms, ambulatory centers, labor and delivery, catheterization lab, intervention radiology, endoscopy, and other diagnostic labs and clinics. They provide patient care support to in all age populations and apply specific knowledge in pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, and principles of anesthesia.
Diane Alejandro-Harper is a certified anesthesia technical professional and currently serves as Manager of Anesthesia Technical Services at Stanford Health Care and is on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT). She is serving as Anesthesia Technology Faculty Coordinator for the program and has been instrumental in leading the development of the program collaboratively with health care industry partners and the Surgical Careers Center.
Article and photo by Diane Alejandro-Harper and Raymond Hernandez
