Anesthesia Technician Assessment

Thank you for your interest in the anesthesia veterinary technician position at Southeast Veterinary Neurology (SEVN). We have reviewed your resume and we would like to further assess your knowledge and skills in this area.

Skills Assessment

Please answer the following questions in a word processing document:

 

Question 1

You have induced your patient and just hooked them up to the anesthesia machine. You give them a breath and notice a significant leak. Write step-by-step how you determine where the leak is coming from.

Question 2

Your patient is a healthy 8 kg female spayed Boston Terrier presenting for general anesthesia for intervertebral disc disease.  Which of the following induction protocols would make the most sense for this patient?  Explain why the other two are not correct.

  1. Midazolam - 0.1 mg/kg
    Hydromorphone - 0.05 mg/kg
    Propofol 4 mg/kg
  2. Hydromorphone - 5 mg/kg
    Buprenorphine -  20 ug/kg
    Propofol  6.0 mg/kg
  3. Fentanyl - 20 ug/kg
    Butorphanol - 2mg/kg
    Propofol - 6.0 mg/kg

Question 3

Case Study:

Fluffy, a 6 kilogram 15 year old male neutered Toy Poodle, presents for a multi sight lipoma removal. Fluffy has a history of chronic kidney disease as well as a grade 4 heart murmur. Fluffy also was recently diagnosed on radiographs with a collapsed trachea. Fluffy was cleared for surgery by a cardiologist 1 month prior after an echocardiogram was performed. Fluffy is currently on a Kidney support diet and takes a glucosamine supplement daily.

Fluffy's day of surgery 3 view chest radiographs show an enlarged heart, but otherwise are passed by the attending veterinarian. Fluffy's day of bloodwork shows an increase in BUN and Creatinine, but otherwise the bloodwork is within normal limits.

Fluffy has been dropped off 3 hours prior to induction time. Upon arrival, Fluffy's temperature is 102.1F, pulse is 160, and respiration is panting. Fluffy does not seem to be settling in his cage and is barking continuously.

The attending doctor has requested Fluffy to be induced with 1mg/kg Midazolam, 0.05mg/kg Hydromorphone, and Propofol titrated to affect.

a. Please calculate the drugs needed for Fluffy's surgery.

b. What are 3 concerns for Fluffy's anesthesia?

c. What are some measures you would take prior to induction to make Fluffy's anesthesia smoother?

Peri-operatively, Fluffy is on 2.5% Isoflurane, heart rate is 88, respiration is 14, temperature is 97.2F, blood pressure is 92/65 (58), eyes are frontal, no jaw tone is noted. IV Fluid rate is currently at surgical maintenance.

d. Would you make any anesthetic changes? If yes, what changes would you make?

Question 4

Case Study:

A 2 year old, female spayed, Dachshund presents with back pain. An MRI study was performed and revealed a herniated disc at Thoracic vertebrae 13 - Lumbar vertebra1 on the right. The patient proceeds to surgery. The parameters that are being monitored intra-op are, HR, SP02, RR, ETCo2, Blood Pressure, and temperature. Upon making an incision the patient begins to hyperventilate and the gas anesthetic agent is then increased from 1% to 2%. The patient is stable for 1 hour, but then we start to notice that it is experiencing tachycardia.

As a surgery technician, how should we troubleshoot this scenario?

Question 5

Your patient is under anesthesia and has just been intubated. It seems to be in a light plane of anesthesia and is swallowing with a palpebral reflex, but vital signs are all within normal limits for an anesthetized patient. You’ve increased your gas setting from 1.0% to 2.5% and there has been no change in your patient’s plane of anesthesia. Your patient continues to seem light.

List what you think are your next steps to handle this issue. Also, explain what you think might be going on with your patient.

Question 6

You have a patient under anesthesia for a procedure, your anesthesia set up includes a ventilator. Your patient is on a stable plane of anesthesia with parameters within normal limits, and an ASA stats of 1. Over a span of 5 minutes the ECO2 rises from 30 to 48. Heart rate is the same, blood pressure MAP raises from 75 to 95. All other parameters stay the same.

Is this a problem? If you are making adjustments, what parameters are you changing and how?

Submit all completed assessments via email to careers@sevneurology.com

Please include a clear subject line that includes both the location and the position in which you are applying to ensure it reaches the right hands. Should you have any questions, contact us.