Presence of anesthesiologists and nurses in the operating room: Liability of surgeons and health care facilities

Abstract

The presence of an anesthesiologist and certified registered nurse anesthesiologist in the operating room remains a topic of discussion in many facilities. This article provides an overview on the legislation and recommendations on this topic and recounts some of the related jurisprudence. The opinions of various actors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, anesthesiology-intensive care physicians, certified registered nurse anesthesiologists, care-facility directors and insurance companies are included. Based on these elements, we attempt to answer the question of presence of competence in anesthesiology in the operating room.

Keywords: Anesthesiology; Organization; Recommendations; Rules; Surgery.