To be a successful anesthesiology provider, you must complete years of rigorous academic studies, clinical training, and professional certification and licensing. But once you pass your exams and are a licensed anesthesia provider, you will also need to hone other skills that you can’t find in a textbook.
The best anesthesia providers excel academically and clinically, but they also possess certain personality characteristics that help them build rapport with patients and staff while providing exceptional care. Here are four traits you should develop to stand out as an anesthesia provider.
1. Attention to detail
A patient’s comfort and safety during a procedure depends on your sharp focus and attention to detail before, during, and after surgery. You must remain observant, careful, and precise while you are evaluating potential risks during pre-op, creating an anesthesia care plan tailored to a patient’s needs, administering precise anesthesia, monitoring a patient’s vitals, and providing post-op care.
2. Calm under pressure
The ability to keep a cool head in stressful situations is the sign of a skilled anesthesia provider. You can be sure that not every day or every procedure will go as planned. What matters is how you react. When something goes wrong, do you respond with panic, anger, or frustration? Or can you take stock of the problem, evaluate what options are available to you, and act calmly and decisively?
3. Positive bedside manner
Your job is not just to administer anesthesia but also to communicate with patients, answering their questions and addressing their concerns. Patients are often scared or stressed before surgery. A warm, caring bedside manner allows you to connect with patients on a personal level and improve their overall experience.
4. Respect for all
Successful anesthesia providers treat everyone with courtesy and respect, from the surgeons to the front desk staff. If you walk into a facility — especially as a locum tenens provider — and extend kindness and appreciation to all of your colleagues, everyone’s day will go much more smoothly. If you do the opposite, your bad attitude can be contagious and contribute to a negative work environment. Small interactions make a big difference.
Learn more about anesthesia job opportunities available through Radar Healthcare Providers.
