Patient Care Services
National Anesthesia Service
The Veterans Health Administration Anesthesia Service was created in 1994 to provide consultation and guidance in the form of policy and procedure for anesthesiology services and sections throughout VHA's medical centers. Additionally, the Anesthesia Service provides consultation to VHA Medical-Surgical Services Chief Consultant on all matters regarding the practice of anesthesia. Anesthesia Service respects the necessity for local services and sections to create policies and procedures pertinent to their individual practice settings, while conforming to national policies.
Anesthesia Alert
On 6-Oct-2004 The Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Alert addressing the issue of patients becoming aware while under general anesthesia of some or all events occurring during the surgery or procedure and having direct recall of those events. The alert - Preventing and Managing the Impact of Anesthesia Awareness * - discusses the frequency of this and makes recommendations and suggests that individual hospitals have a policy to reduce awareness and to manage it if it occurs.
Nurse Anesthetist Education Program
One of the main initiatives of the National Program Office is the Nurse Anesthetist Education Program. This program offers VA Employees the ability to become a Nurse Anesthetist. Additional details can be found on the Nurse Anesthetist Education page.
Anesthesiologist Assistant
VHA Handbook 1123, Anesthesia Service, includes as an Allied Health Professional the profession of Anesthesiologist Assistant. To aid facilities, a Position Description and a Human Resources Management Letter (Qualification Guideline) are provided.
Follow this link to the Anesthesiologist Assistant Position Description
Follow this link to the Human Resources Management Letter 05-06-12,
Anesthesiologist Assistant Qualification Guideline
* By clicking on these links you will leave the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked Web site.
