Southern Anaesthetists celebrating National Anaesthesia Day with interactive displays

Visitors to Dunedin Hospital are able to have a go at “ventilating a patient” using an intubation practice dummy for National Anaesthesia day today (Tuesday 16 October).

An interactive display is set up in Dunedin Hospital foyer and anaesthetic staff are on hand spread to the word about this year’s theme, "Anaesthesia isn't sleep. It's so much deeper."

Southern DHB Consultant Anaesthetist, Dr Andrew Smith has organised the celebrations this year and says, “National Anaesthesia Day is a great way to get the message across about this year’s theme, and also to let the public know what we do.

“Being under general anaesthesia is very different from sleeping. For example, no matter how soundly you sleep, if someone tried to take your appendix out, you’d know about it! With general anaesthesia, you’re actually in a carefully monitored state of unconsciousness that is adjusted according to your needs.

“The development of many impressive modern surgical techniques would not be possible without the matching advances in Anaesthesia care.”

As well as the equipment on display and information in the foyer, there’s also lots of posters around the hospital about “Anaesthesia isn’t sleep, it’s so much deeper” and “Who is your anaesthetist?”

National Anaesthesia Day is organised by the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. The day marks the anniversary of the first public demonstration of ether anaesthesia in the United States in 1846.

More information can be found about National Anaesthesia Day here

About Anaesthetists

• All anaesthetists are highly trained specialist doctors
• After finishing medical school and working for at least two years as a junior doctor, anaesthetists then complete at least five years of training to become a specialist anaesthetist
• Anaesthesia is one of the greatest discoveries of modern medicine
• Most of today’s operations, especially for the very young, very old, or very ill would not be possible without it
• Australia and NZ are two of the safest places in the world to have a procedure under general anaesthesia.