Day in the Life of a Stanford/Harvard-Trained Anesthesiologist: How We Keep You Alive During Surgery
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Published 2021-07-07
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The operating room is a sacred environment. It can be life or death. It's sterile and highly secured. It can change patients' lives in remarkable ways! It takes a LOT for the operating room to function, so let me show you a day in my life in this unusual workplace!
I believe that to give the best care to patients, I need to take the best care of myself. I start with meditation and exercise in the mornings (a powerful habit!). I sometimes need to take the dog out on a walk before going to work. That's always an adventure!
On the drive to work I try to plan out my day, particularly if there are complex patients or difficult cases. It's a beautiful view on the way to work in the San Francisco Bay Area!
Once I get to work, I hop in the locker room. Then I need to prepare my anesthesia machine and anesthesia equipment. That includes the life support machine and medications. Then I need to meet the patients, perform targeted histories and physical exams. The mouth exam (also called "airway exam") is very important for anesthesiologists!
Some surgeries need nerve blocks, and I do those either before or after we enter the operating room. I try to give some relaxing medication on the way to the operating room.
Once we enter the operating room, the critical part of surgery and anesthesia starts: falling asleep. The heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys are all vulnerable while the patient is falling asleep. After I fill the patient's lungs with oxygen, we go to sleep, and the patient typically stops breathing. That's when the critical breathing tube goes in.
Once we're asleep the surgery can start. I need to monitor the patient constantly and give life support medications to keep all the body's organs alive and well. I also need to make sure the breathing is going well on the ventilator. Critical stuff!
Waking up from anesthesia is also critical: if the breathing tube is taken out at the wrong time, it can cause severe brain and heart damage. If it comes out too late, the patient may remember the breathing tube. No patient wants that!
After the patient is safely awake, we wheel over to the recovery room. I drop off the patient to a nurse who makes sure the patient is comfortable, not in pain, nor nauseous. They recover the patient until the patient is ready to recover in the hospital or to go home.
At the end of each case, I need to clean up my anesthesia station and dispose of medications, syringes, needles, etc. What happens to the meds? The controlled medications, like opioids (think fentanyl, Dilaudid, morphine, versed, and ketamine need to be wasted with a witness. Unused medications go back to the locked box they came from (to prevent diversion of these dangerous controlled medications). Other medications are usually stored in my locked anesthesia cart.
With all this running around, it's difficult to keep track of the essence of medicine. My practice is to always try using lifestyle as medicine (like "food as medicine"). Sometimes patients need a little more support though. That's when gentle plant medications and supplements come in play. The goal is to always return to life without medications though!
In some cases, patients need even more support. That's when there's a role for powerful conventional medications, and even surgery and anesthesia. As always, the goal is to use powerful medications (with powerful side effects) to return to optimal health. Hopefully there's no need for lifelong medications or supplements - just you and your healthy lifestyle!
At the end of the day, I drop off the last patient, make sure all the patients are tucked in, stable, and comfortable. Patients need to be stable and safe, otherwise I can't leave!
On the drive back home, I often think about how the day could've gone better. Specifically, why did patients need surgery in the first place? There are so many opportunities to prevent illness, and prevent ending up on the operating room table, and I wish patients knew the power they had over their health to prevent these outcomes.
When I get home, I'm greeted by our puppy Karma. I try to get my workout in as quickly as possible (otherwise I get too tired!). When possible, I call my patients for the next day so I can answer their questions about the anesthesia and help put their minds at ease.
After the work is done, it's dinner time! My wife is a fantastic cook, and I'm grateful she guides me in helping to cook delicious, healthy meals!
At the end of the night, I crate Karma and hit the sack myself. Gotta get ready for another early morning!
Leave your questions below and remember: you have more power over your health than they want you to kno
All Comments (21)
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As a former Nurse who worked in surgery, assisting with anesthesia and the operation assisting the Surgeon, this doctor is the most important person in the room.
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In addition to being a well trained and fully qualified physician, I think that you are a good man who sincerely cares about the health and recovery of his patients. Thank you for your dedication.
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Having been both an RN in OR/PACU(ārecovery ā), and a patient in the OR, I always remember to thank the anesthesiologists and let them know how appreciated they are ! Oftentimes the surgeons get all the credit, but your anesthesiologist is the one responsible for KEEPING YOU ALIVE , sometimes for hours and hours. Monitoring your vital signs, ordering and interpreting blood work throughout the surgery, giving blood transfusions, administering IV fluids & medications, communicating with the surgeon and other staff during the operation, the list goes on & on. It is a very demanding job, so remember to thank your anesthesiologist for taking care of you !
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In my experience anesthesiologists often have the best bedside manner. They realize how nervous you are for surgery & "being put to sleep". Thank you for all that you do to care for us.
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I am sooooo impressed by what you do! I've had 15 surgeries, and I'm about to have my 16th with a removal of a kidney. I never knew how much you had to do. I just thought you monitor my heart, breathing, give me something to go night night and that's it, besides giving me the drug to bring me out of my sleepy time. WOW! Sir you have my utmost respect! Not that I didn't respect an anesthesiologist, but now it's on a whole different level! Anesthesiologists rock!!
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I remembered I told the men who put me into the coma, please donāt let me die during my Breast cancer mastectomy, they both were so kind, they smile to me and told me in their warm voices, we will make sure you are well! I want to thank you sir for doing such highly honor smart job, may God bless & protect you & all medical personnels! In Jesus mighty Name, amen
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This dude's like a medical Mr. Rogers for adults -- a hero we desperately need.
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Never in my life did I think I would hear a doctor being a proponent of practice of medicine without āmedicineā if at all possible. Love this guy. We need more drs like him.
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This is what the world needs more of, I canāt express it enough. Phenomenal Dr.
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Dude, I have been a pelvic surgeon for over 30 years. Excellent presentation! You rock!
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You guys are the REAL heroes everyday, thanks for what you do.
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Im an anesthesia nurse for 11 years. And I really appreciate the work of anesthesiologist. Oftentimes they are not given proper compliments because patients are more focus on the surgeons. We are using Drager Zeus and Drager Primus anesthesia machines and all the explanations about the drugs and the equipments needed are really on point. I never thought I would love working in anesthesia this much. I cannot imagine myself working in any nursing fields aside from anesthesia. Good job on explaining everything so that others may appreciate what we do, we are not only working inside Operating room but in MRI, CT scan, Cath lab, angio, and nuclear medicine as well for patients who needs sedation during the procedure.
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After my 42 year old husband almost died from Covid last August-September, I have come to appreciate wonderful healthcare workers. He was vented and heavily sedated for well over 15 days. Finally worked off of all vent related care by December. Unfortunately, he did have two cva strokes. All this to say, my respect for health care workers like you and those who cared for my husband during his most critical time, is through the roof!! Thank you!
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My goodness, I had no idea that an anesthesiologist had to go through all this to put a patient under. Doctor I really appreciate you sharing the many details of what you do and I found it very interesting. Iāve had several back surgeries and Iām doing really well thanks to all that got me through each one of them. Other than my back, Iāve always been very healthy and never had any issues from other illnesses or diseases that many people my age (80 in another 12 days) have. When Iāve had surgery, my thing is to tell jokes to my surgeon and anesthesiologist and just have some laughs to help me not to be nervous. I know they are there to help me and I always appreciate everyone who helps me through the entire process. Iāve always had the best nurses too. Again, humor is always my favorite thing. Thank you so much for being you and you have such a great smile and I suspect you also have a fun sense of humor as well. God bless you and you family and your beautiful dog.
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It was interesting when you mentioned the power of suggestion. I once went under while my nurse anesthetist was arguing with a surgical tech about the form of anesthesia the doctor wanted (getting my hip replaced). They were ignoring me. I was scared, nervous and upset by the arguing. I woke up with breathing tube still in and doctor and nurse talking about how I had tachycardia. I was sick, upset, and had some PTSD from the experience. The next time I had surgery (slipped disc) I spoke about my concerns and what had happened before. This time the entire OR staff was chill, the anesthesiologist was cracking jokes with me (Iām all about humor), and as I went under she told me to think of where I was happiest. Iām positive she must have said other encouraging things that I donāt remember. I woke up from that surgery with zero problems. I am convinced that one of the most powerful predictors of how a patient will do after surgery is how they are treated in those moments from pre-op to asleep on the table. BTW, I have had SLE for 32 years (Iām 48 now). Steroids kinda ruined a lot of my early life with first hip replaced at 21. Now my body is so out of whack that I donāt know how to bring it back in line! I really liked your video and your positive message and outlook. Oh, and my greatest friend (been friends since we were 12) went to Stanford also, except thatās where she did her graduate work. She has a Ph.D. in Population Genetics and I donāt understand most of what she studies. I just have a M.A. in. American History and a M.A.T. in Social Sciences from my local University (but just get me talking about the social history of how death has been handled in America and I wonāt shut upā¦Iām have a bit of a macabre personality). However congrats on Stanford and especially Harvard! Wicked difficult program, right? šš
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Iām an ICU nurse who just got my acceptance letter to CRNA school. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Thank you!
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WOW, I knew anesthesiologists dealt with drugs but this is way crazier than what I expected! Please show more
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We thank all of the Anesthesiologists! Thank you for taking care of us.
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I am a doctor i will soon start my internship and your video was full of motivation for me you are working and enjoying your work at the same time i just want to be like you šš
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Youāre amazing! As a RN for almost 20 years having a Doctor that is professional and personable is a BIG WIN!! From what I see you embody both continue the phenomenal work youāre doing. Blessings and Love!š
